{"id":643,"date":"2017-04-10T10:53:22","date_gmt":"2017-04-10T10:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/?p=643"},"modified":"2020-10-21T16:26:29","modified_gmt":"2020-10-21T09:26:29","slug":"10-birth-story-of-the-buddha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/?p=643","title":{"rendered":"10 Birth story of the Buddha"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Read<\/a> | Download<\/a><\/span><\/h3>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”JATAKA TALES” el_id=”1491821675840-b34d4fb5-b078″]The Jataka Tales are narratives about the previous lives of the Buddha before he was born for the last time<\/span>
\nas the Enlightened One. There are more than five hundred stories of the Buddha\u2019s previous lifetimes, of which<\/span>
\nthe final ten are regarded as the most important. These are called Dasajati Jataka, which means Ten Birth<\/span>
\nStories of the Buddha.<\/span>
\nIn all the Jataka Tales, the Bodhisatta (Buddha-To-Be) practiced one or more of the ten virtues, all of which<\/span>
\nmust be perfected in order to become a Buddha. The final ten birth stories show the culmination of his<\/span>
\ncountless lives in which all ten virtues are brought to the state of perfection. Each story depicts one of the Ten<\/span>
\nPerfected Virtues.<\/span>
\nBuddhists believe in the cycle of birth and death. According to Buddhist worldview, the life each person is<\/span>
\ncurrently living represents merely one stage in an infinite series of births. Any person\u2019s present life has<\/span>
\nbeen preceded by countless other lives; at death, the process continues. The state of one\u2019s existence is<\/span>
\ndetermined by the Law of Kamma, whereby the good deeds performed in this life will result in rebirth in a<\/span>
\nhappy realm in the next life, and conversely, evil deeds will result in rebirth in an unhappy realm in the next<\/span>
\nlife. The happy realm includes heaven and the state of being human. An unhappy realm consists of hell, the<\/span>
\nstate of being a demon, and the state of being an animal. The destination and quality of rebirth is based on<\/span>
\nthe quality of deeds. The only way to end the rebirth cycle is for a person to tenaciously perform good deeds<\/span>
\nand build perfect virtues (Parami, see page 19) until he reaches Nibbana. This is the ultimate state to which<\/span>
\nall Bodhisattas aspire.<\/span>
\nThe Jataka Tales are stories from a time and place different from our own. The people in this time and place<\/span>
\nare different from us in terms of their overall conditions, lifespan, and physical and mental abilities. Buddhists<\/span>
\nbelieve in merit-power, a transcendental energy that makes wondrous things happen for those who have<\/span>
\naccumulated abundant virtues, such as the Bodhisattas. This explains the reasons for many supernatural<\/span>
\nphenomena and miracles that happen throughout the Jataka stories. We hope the reader will find these<\/span>
\nstories interesting as well as inspiring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jataka Tales \u2013 Fact or Fiction?<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

The world seen in the Jataka tales may appear fanciful and magical, but to many Buddhists, especially<\/span>
\nthose who have reached a higher degree of mental development and meditation skill, they do not perceive<\/span>
\nthese tales as totally unrealistic or illogical. In their view, incredible things do happen on earth from time to<\/span>
\ntime. What is considered incredible in one time period may be common place in another.<\/span>
\nFor example, people in the last century would have thought that the ability to talk to one another across town,<\/span>
\nor to see images of actual events in another part of the world in the palm of one\u2019s hand, a fantasy or miracle,<\/span>
\nyet we can do so today through the use of smart phones. In the same manner, we may consider the ability<\/span>
\nto recall one\u2019s past life or communicate with angels a fairy tale. But the only difference is the advancement of<\/span>
\nscience while the other is the advancement of mind.<\/span>
\nAccording to Buddhist worldview, life has existed for eons, even before the current age we live in today.<\/span>
\nWe cannot say that the humans who lived in the ages before our own shared the same physical and mental<\/span>
\nattributes as humans today. There were times when earth was closer to heaven and men were closer to<\/span>
\ngods1. For us, it sounds incredible that people in past eons could communicate with angels. Likewise, it may<\/span>
\nseem incredible for them to think that people of the modern day can travel through space or video-talk to one<\/span>
\nanother across the world.<\/span>
\nIt may be close-minded for us to take the position that what we cannot see, prove or perceive has to be<\/span>
\nunreal. But remember, people used to be imprisoned for believing that the earth was round<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”Buddhist Worldview” el_id=”1491822612814-7323ff93-45f0″]<\/p>\n

When reading the Jatakas it is important to note that the Buddha\u2019s<\/span><\/h3>\n

previous rebirths took place in different world eras long before our<\/span>
\ntime. The environment, cultures, lifespan, physical and mental faculties<\/span>
\nand abilities, and the way of thinking of the people during<\/span>
\nthose eras do not resemble our own. It is beneficial for a reader<\/span>
\nto familiarize himself or herself with the Buddhist cosmology and<\/span>
\nworldview to fully appreciate what took place in these stories.<\/span>
\nBuddhists accept the view of the Universe that time is not linear but<\/span>
\ncircular. Consequently, the Universe is not created out of nothing<\/span>
\nat a particular point, nor will it be completely destroyed at another.<\/span>
\nIt has always existed and will always exist. In the meantime, however,<\/span>
\nit goes through endless cycles of creation and destruction,<\/span>
\ncreation and destruction over and over and over.<\/span>
\nAll beings born into this cyclic universe is the result of a preceding<\/span>
\ncause or willed action (kamma). This is the doctrine of creation<\/span>
\nby causes. In turn, when any being dies, he, she or it creates the<\/span>
\nconditions for the birth of a new being. This is not precisely<\/span>
\nreincarnation or transmigration, for it is not exactly the same<\/span>
\nbeing that commutes from body to body down through the<\/span>
\nprocession of the ages. The appropriate word to describe this<\/span>
\nprocess is \u2018rebirth\u2019.<\/span>
\nRebirth, therefore, is a process of endless and uncontrollable circulation<\/span>
\nthrough a variety of mostly unpleasant situations.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Law of Kamma<\/span>
\nBuddhism discusses the Law of Kamma2 (in Sanskrit, Karma), also<\/span>
\nknown as the Law of Cause and Effect. According to this law no one<\/span>
\ncan salvage us from our sins, nor can anyone pass his sins to us. An<\/span>
\naction, good or bad, produces a result. Good actions produce good<\/span>
\nresults, and bad actions produce bad results. A person is<\/span>
\ndirectly responsible for his or her own deeds and is also the direct<\/span>
\nrecipient of their kamma.<\/span>
\nSamsara – Cycle of Rebirths<\/span>
\nAnother aspect of Buddhism is samsara, the cycle of rebirths.<\/span>
\nThe term samsara has been translated as \u2018eternal wandering,\u2019 \u2018cyclic<\/span>
\nexistence,\u2019 and \u2018ocean of suffering.\u2019 According to the Buddha, the<\/span>
\nbeginning point of samsara is not evident, just as there is no beginning<\/span>
\npoint to a circle. All beings have been suffering in samsara for<\/span>
\nan unimaginable length of time, and they continue to do so until<\/span>
\nthe attainment of Nibbana. The only way to escape the cycle of<\/span>
\nrebirths is through Enlightenment.<\/span>
\nNibbana<\/span>
\nNibbana (in Sanskrit, Nirvana) is the transcendental state of<\/span>
\nultimate happiness, the highest spiritual attainment. This is not the<\/span>
\nsense-based happiness of everyday life; nor is it the concept of heaven<\/span>
\nas interpreted by Western culture. It is an enduring, transcendental<\/span>
\nhappiness integral to the calmness attained through Enlightenment.<\/span>
\nOnce a person has attained Nibbana, he has reached the end of the<\/span>
\ncycle of rebirths.<\/span><\/p>\n

Happy Realms<\/span>
\nHappy realms consist of heavens and the state of being human.<\/span>
\nA person who lives a life of good conduct will be reborn in a happy<\/span>
\nrealm. There are altogether sixteen levels of heaven.<\/span>
\nUnhappy Realms<\/span>
\nUnhappy realms consist of hells, the state of being a demon, a<\/span>
\nthe state of being a hungry ghost, and the state of being an animal.<\/span>
\nA person who lives an evil life will be reborn in an unhappy realm.<\/span>
\nBuddhist Cosmology<\/span>
\nBuddhist cosmology is the description of the shape and evolution of<\/span>
\nthe universe according to the Buddhist scriptures and commentaries.<\/span>
\nThe picture of the world presented in Buddhist cosmological<\/span>
\ndescriptions cannot be taken as a literal description of the shape<\/span>
\nof the universe. It is not intended to be a description of how<\/span>
\nordinary humans perceive their world. Rather, it is the universe as<\/span>
\nseen through the divine eye by which a Buddha or an Arahant who<\/span>
\nhas cultivated this transcendental faculty can perceive.<\/span>
\nIn the vertical cosmology described by Buddhist scriptures, the<\/span>
\nuniverse is comprised of many worlds stacked one upon the next in<\/span>
\nlayers. Each world corresponds to a mental state or a state of being.<\/span>
\nA world is not a location; rather it is composed of and sustained by<\/span>
\nthe beings that inhabit that world through their kamma. Humans<\/span>
\nand animals, for example, though they partially share the same<\/span>
\nphysical environments, still belong to different worlds because their<\/span>
\nminds perceive and react to those environments differently<\/span><\/p>\n

Our earthly realm (as well as other realms) undergoes many cycles<\/span>
\nof creation and destruction. Each earth cycle lasts billions of years<\/span>
\n(eons). Humans also undergo cycles of their own evolution. During<\/span>
\nthe beginning of the human race, when humanity was pure and<\/span>
\nperfect, a human could live as long as 80,000 years or more. But as<\/span>
\nhumans are overtaken by greed, hatred and delusion, which give rise<\/span>
\nto crimes, corruption and total disregard for the welfare of others,<\/span>
\ntheir lifespan declines. During the age of decline, which includes<\/span>
\nour present era, human lifespan decreases at the rate of one year<\/span>
\nfor every one hundred years3. When lifespan declines to 10 years,<\/span>
\na new cycle evolves, and humans begin to live progressively longer<\/span>
\nlives again.<\/span>
\nOur human world is a part of the \u2018Realm of Desire,\u2019 symbolized<\/span>
\nby the celestial mountain of Sumeru. Sumeru and its surrounding<\/span>
\noceans and mountains are the home of many supernatural beings.<\/span>
\nOn top of Mount Sumeru is Tavatimsa Heaven, also known<\/span>
\nas Realm of the Thirty-three Gods, a wide flat space filled with<\/span>
\nthe gardens and palaces of the devas. Its ruler is Sakka, lord of the<\/span>
\ndevas, who often comes to the Bodhisatta\u2019s aid in a time of<\/span>
\ndistress. The celestial beings inhabiting this world are 1,500 feet<\/span>
\ntall and live for 36,000,000 years.<\/span>
\nOn the lower slopes of Mount Sumeru is Catumaharajika Heaven.<\/span>
\nIts inhabitants include devas (angels), gandhabas (celestial<\/span>
\nmusicians), nagas (serpent-like beings), yakkhas (ogres, earth<\/span>
\nsprites), and other celestial creatures.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the foot of Mount Sumeru is the realm of the asuras (demonic<\/span>
\ntitans), former devas that have been cast away due to wrongdoings<\/span>
\nwhile in heaven.<\/span>
\nThe mountains that encircle Mount Sumeru are surrounded by a<\/span>
\nvast ocean. In this ocean there are four continents4 inhabited by<\/span>
\nhumans and human-like beings. One of these continents is Jambudvipa,<\/span>
\nwhich is the dwelling of ordinary human beings. All Buddhas<\/span>
\nappear in Jambudvipa. The people here are five to six feet tall and<\/span>
\ntheir length of life varies between 10 and 80,000 years.<\/span>
\nThe other three continents are: Purvavideha, where the human<\/span>
\ninhabitants are about 12 feet tall and have a lifespan of 250 years;<\/span>
\nAparagodaniya, where the human inhabitants are about 24 feet<\/span>
\ntall and have a lifespan of 500 years; and Uttarakuru, where the<\/span>
\ninhabitants are about 48 feet tall and live for 1,000 years. Because<\/span>
\nof the vast expanse of the celestial ocean, the inhabitants cannot<\/span>
\ntravel between the four continents (think of inter-planetary travel<\/span>
\nas a comparison).<\/span>
\nThen there is the world of the animals. This world comprises all<\/span>
\nmembers of the animal kingdom that are capable of feeling pain<\/span>
\nand suffering.<\/span>
\nAmongst the dwellers of earth, there is the world of hungry ghosts<\/span>
\n(peta). These are beings that cannot be seen by humans. They live<\/span>
\nin wastelands.<\/span><\/p>\n

Below Jambudvipa are the hellish realms, or purgatory. Inhabitants<\/span>
\nhere are beings that have committed various degrees of wrongdoings<\/span>
\nwhile they were humans and were sent here for punishment for a<\/span>
\nfinite length of time. This is the realm of intense suffering.<\/span>
\nThere are more levels of higher heavens not mentioned here, the<\/span>
\nhighest of which are the Brahma heavens. Brahmas have the longest<\/span>
\nlifespan of any celestial beings, but they are still subject to rebirth.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”Who is the Buddha?” el_id=”1491822675800-74b75f49-f764″]The name Buddha is a title, not a<\/span>
\nproper name, meaning \u201cAwakened,\u201d<\/span>
\nthus \u201cEnlightened.\u201d<\/span>
\nGotama was the Buddha, the historical<\/span>
\nfounder of Buddhism whose teachings, the<\/span>
\nDhamma (Skt., Dharma), form its core. The<\/span>
\nhistorical Buddha was born in 623 B.C. as<\/span>
\nPrince Siddhattha Gotama in Lumbini Park<\/span>
\nat Kapilavatthu, near the present day border<\/span>
\nof India and Nepal. He was the son of King<\/span>
\nSuddhodana and Queen Maya of the kingdom<\/span>
\nof the Sakyans, a tribe of the Aryan race<\/span>
\nthat lived in the northern region of present<\/span>
\nday India.<\/span><\/p>\n

At age 16 Siddhattha married Yashodhara<\/span>
\nwho gave birth to their only son, Rahula. At<\/span>
\nthe age of 29 Siddhattha renounced worldly<\/span>
\nlife and left the palace to find an answer<\/span>
\nto the problem of suffering and a path to<\/span>
\nliberation from cyclic existence. Siddhattha<\/span>
\nattained Enlightenment and became a<\/span>
\nBuddha at the age of 35. He spent forty five<\/span>
\nyears wandering up and down the Ganges<\/span>
\nValley expounding the doctrine that he<\/span>
\nhas found and establishing the Sangha, the<\/span>
\nOrder of Buddhist monks and nuns, which<\/span>
\nstill exists today. The Buddha died at age 80<\/span>
\nin the year 543 B.C. in Kushinagara, not far<\/span>
\nfrom his birthplace at Lumbini.<\/span>
\nBesides the fully-enlightened Buddha who<\/span>
\nteaches Dhamma to the world (Samma-<\/span>
\nSambuddha) there is the \u2018Private Buddha\u2019<\/span>
\n(Pacceka-Buddha), who is enlightened but<\/span>
\ndoes not teach. Buddhas appear between<\/span>
\nvast intervals of time. There are countless<\/span>
\nnumber of past, present and future<\/span>
\nBuddhas. Anyone can become a Buddha if<\/span>
\nhe or she pursues all the virtues to<\/span>
\nperfection, although this may take many<\/span>
\nlifetimes to accomplish.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bodhisatta<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A Bodhisatta is someone on the path towards<\/span>
\nEnlightenment, a being who is bound to<\/span>
\nbecome a Buddha. A Bodhisatta is motivated<\/span>
\nby a great compassion and the wish to attain<\/span>
\nBuddhahood for the benefit of all sentient<\/span>
\nbeings.<\/span>
\nDue to abundant virtues (paramis) cultivated<\/span>
\nover many lifetimes, a Bodhisatta is<\/span>
\nendowed with a transcendental merit-power<\/span>
\nwhich makes him more advanced physically<\/span>
\nand mentally beyond an ordinary human.<\/span>
\nA Bodhisatta possesses a perfect physical<\/span>
\nappearance and strength, as well as wisdom,<\/span>
\nand is often protected by heavenly beings.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brahma<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Brahma is the most superior form of<\/span>
\ncelestial being with the longest lifespan than<\/span>
\nany other deities. Brahmas are a class of<\/span>
\nsupra-celestial beings who abide purely by<\/span>
\nthe pleasure derived from meditation rather<\/span>
\nthan the sensual pleasure enjoyed by beings<\/span>
\nof lower realms. There are two types of Brahmas,<\/span>
\nthe lower type is called Rupa Brahmas<\/span>
\n(Form Brahmas), and the higher type Arupa<\/span>
\nBrahmas (Non-Form Brahamas). Brahma<\/span>
\nheavens are the highest level of heavens in<\/span>
\nBuddhist cosmology.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sakka<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sakka (sometime referred to as Indra) is the<\/span>
\nruler of the Tavatimsa heaven, the second<\/span>
\ncelestial realm which is in direct contact with<\/span>
\nthe human world. Like the other deities of<\/span>
\nthis heaven, a Sakka is long-lived but mortal.<\/span>
\nWhen one Sakka dies, his place is taken by<\/span>
\nanother deity who becomes the new Sakka.<\/span>
\nDeities of the Tavatimsa heaven, including<\/span>
\nSakka, often interact with humans. Sakka<\/span>
\noften comes to the Bodhisatta\u2019s aid at the<\/span>
\ntime of need.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Celestial Beings<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Celestial beings are former human beings,<\/span>
\nwho have accumulated abundant merit<\/span>
\nthrough good deeds. After death they are<\/span>
\nreborn into heavenly realms to enjoy the<\/span>
\nfruits of their merit. The length of their<\/span>
\nexistence in heaven and the magnitude<\/span>
\nof their celestial wealth depend upon the<\/span>
\nmagnitude of their merit. They are forever<\/span>
\nyoung and do not experience any illnesses,<\/span>
\nalthough they are still subject to rebirth.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Brahmins<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Brahmins are individuals belonging to the<\/span>
\npriestly caste of ancient India who practiced<\/span>
\nBrahmanism, a predecessor of modern Hinduism.<\/span>
\nThe religious practices centered on<\/span>
\na clergy administering rites and sacrifices.<\/span>
\nThe mode of worship was worship of the<\/span>
\nelements (e.g., fire and rivers), numerous<\/span>
\ngods, chanting of hymns, and performance<\/span>
\nof sacrifices. In some cases, certain persons<\/span>
\nwere born into other castes but dedicated<\/span>
\nthemselves to such an austere life that<\/span>
\nthey were also recognized as Brahmins in<\/span>
\nancient India.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Nagas<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Nagas are serpent-like beings that live in the<\/span>
\nlower celestial realm known as Catumaharajika.<\/span>
\nThey possess great supernatural powers<\/span>
\nand can change their physical forms at will.<\/span>
\nAlthough nagas are known for their powers<\/span>
\nand supernatural abilities, they are no match<\/span>
\nfor garudas, who are their arch enemies.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Yakkhas, Yakkhinees<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Yakkhas (male), yakkhinees (female), are<\/span>
\nearth sprites (ogres) with gigantic bodies<\/span>
\nand fearsome appearances. They live in the<\/span>
\nlower celestial realm of Catumaharajika, and<\/span>
\nare often projected as bad characters in Buddhist<\/span>
\ncosmology.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Garudas<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Garudas are a type of celestial being that<\/span>
\nappears half-bird, half-human, with the<\/span>
\nface and lower body of a bird and the upper<\/span>
\nbody of a human. They live in the celestial<\/span>
\nforest of Himavanta and feed on nagas. They<\/span>
\npossess supernatural powers and can change<\/span>
\ntheir physical forms at will<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kinaris and Kinaras<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Kinaris (female) and kinaras (male) are a<\/span>
\ntype of celestial being that appear half-bird,<\/span>
\nhalf-human, with a face and upper body of a<\/span>
\nhuman and a the lower body of a bird. They<\/span>
\nare gentle creatures that live in the celestial<\/span>
\nforest of Himavanta.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Himavanta<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Himavanta is a celestial forest which surrounds<\/span>
\nthe base of Mount Sumeru. It is<\/span>
\nthe home of an assortment of supernatural<\/span>
\ncreatures, such as the nagas, the kinaris and<\/span>
\nthe garudas.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jambudvipa<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Jambudvipa is one of the four continents<\/span>
\nthat surround the celestial mountain<\/span>
\nSumeru. It is the region where the humans<\/span>
\nlive, and is the only place where a being may<\/span>
\nbecome enlightened and attain Buddhahood.<\/span>
\nJambudvipa is shaped like a triangle<\/span>
\nwith a blunted point facing south. In its<\/span>
\ncenter is a gigantic Jambu tree (rose apple)<\/span>
\nfrom which the continent takes its name. It<\/span>
\nis in Jambudvipa that one may receive the<\/span>
\ngift of Dhamma and come to understand<\/span>
\nthe Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold<\/span>
\nPath and ultimately realize the liberation<\/span>
\nfrom the cycle of life and death.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Mount Sumeru<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mount Sumeru is a celestial mountain<\/span>
\nconsidered to be the center of all the physical,<\/span>
\nmetaphysical and spiritual universes.<\/span>
\nSumeru and its surrounding oceans and<\/span>
\nmountains are the home of many extraordinary<\/span>
\nbeings. On top of Mount Sumeru<\/span>
\nis Tavatimsa Heaven. On the lower slopes<\/span>
\nis Catumaharajika Heaven. At the foot of<\/span>
\nMount Sumeru is the realm of the Asuras<\/span>
\n(demonic titans). The mountain range that<\/span>
\nencircles Mount Sumeru is surrounded by a<\/span>
\nvast ocean. In this ocean there are four continents<\/span>
\n(or worlds) inhabited by humans and<\/span>
\nhuman-like beings. One of these continents<\/span>
\nis Jambudvipa, which is the dwelling of ordinary<\/span>
\nhuman beings.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”Parami: Ten Perfected Virtues” el_id=”1491823133258-96c4225e-e47d”]Parami is a spiritual perfection achieved by a Bodhisatta on his<\/span>
\n path to Buddhahood, or by those who are determined to<\/span>
\n attain Enlightenment. Parami is a Pali5<\/sup> word meaning<\/span>
\n transcendental virtues, perfected virtues, or Perfections. These<\/span>
\n virtues are cultivated as a way of self purification, purifying<\/span>
\n kamma and helping the aspirant to live an unobstructed life,<\/span>
\n while reaching the goal of Enlightenment. What distinguishes<\/span>
\n the Bodhisatta from other aspirants is the degree to which<\/span>
\n virtues must be cultivated and the length of time they must be<\/span>
\n pursued.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The following are Ten Perfected Virtues exemplified by each of the<\/span>
\n Bodhisattas whose names appear on the right. They form the basis<\/span>
\n for the stories of this book.<\/span>
\n 1. Renunciation Temiya<\/span>
\n 2. Perseverance Mahajanaka<\/span>
\n 3. Loving-kindness Sama<\/span>
\n 4. Resolution Nimi<\/span>
\n 5.Wisdom Mahosatha<\/span>
\n 6. Morality Bhuridatta<\/span>
\n 7. Forbearance Canda<\/span>
\n 8. Equanimity Narada<\/span>
\n 9. Truthfulness Vidhura<\/span>
\n 10. Charity Vessantara<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*************************************************************************************************************************<\/span><\/p>\n

5 Pali:<\/strong> an ancient language used in India, now no longer an active language; the original Buddhist scriptures were written in Pali; Pali texts are used by the Theravada school of Buddhism.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”01 Temiya Jataka-PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF RENUNCIATION” el_id=”1491823521166-9fec819d-3369″]One day, in the Hall of Truth, in the Jetavana Grove, the Buddha\u2019s disciples were<\/span>
\ndiscussing their Master\u2019s great renunciation and praising his great sacrifice for leaving<\/span>
\nthe pomp and vanity of palace life to assume the simple life of an ascetic. On<\/span>
\nhearing the discussion, the Buddha said, \u201cO monks, this renunciation of mine was<\/span>
\nnot so wonderful when I had fully exercised the Perfections, for before, even when my<\/span>
\nwisdom was still immature, I left my kingdom and renounced the world.\u201d<\/span>
\nAt the disciples\u2019 insistence, the Buddha then told them stories of his past lives.<\/span>
\nTemiya Jataka is the first of the final ten birth stories of the Buddha. This is the story<\/span>
\nof a Bodhisatta prince who pretended to be crippled, deaf and dumb. He did<\/span>
\nthis to avoid inheriting the throne so he could be free to live the pure meditative<\/span>
\nlife of an ascetic. For sixteen years he endured great suffering with unwavering<\/span>
\ndetermination to achieve his goal of renunciation.<\/span>
\nThis is the story of one who would rather perish than live in an environment that was<\/span>
\nfilled with temptation to wrongdoings.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Prince is Born<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Once there reigned a king called Kasikraja in the city of<\/span>
\nBenares, in the kingdom of Kasi, who ruled his people<\/span>
\nrighteously. Despite having great wealth and numerous wives,<\/span>
\nthe king had neither son nor daughter. The people of Banares<\/span>
\nwere concerned about the future of the kingdom should the<\/span>
\nking pass away without leaving an heir to continue his line. They<\/span>
\nassembled in front of the king\u2019s palace and begged the king to<\/span>
\npray for a son.<\/span>
\nThe king, unable to bear offspring, commanded his wives to ask<\/span>
\ntheir gods for help. All the royal ladies made supplications and<\/span>
\nofferings to their various deities, but no son or daughter was born<\/span>
\nto any one of them. His chief queen, Candadevi, known for her virtues,<\/span>
\nprayed to the great god Sakka, ruler of the Tavatimsa Heaven,6<\/span>
\n\u201cO glorious Lord, by the virtue of my merit, if through my life<\/span>
\nI have never broken any moral precepts, please let a son be born<\/span>
\nto me.\u201d<\/span>
\nThereupon, through the power of the queen\u2019s merit, Sakka\u2019s throne<\/span>
\nbecame warm, a sign of distress in the human world requiring his<\/span>
\nintervention. Sakka, realizing that he had overlooked the good<\/span>
\nvirtues of Queen Candadevi, proceeded to fulfill her prayer. Among<\/span>
\nall the angelic entities in heaven he chose the Bodhisatta as the<\/span>
\nworthy one, and sent him down to earth to be conceived in the<\/span>
\nwomb of Queen Candadevi.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now the Bodhisatta, in a lifetime before he became a deva7<\/span>
\nin Tavatimsa, had reigned in Benares for twenty years, and<\/span>
\nowing to some bad actions imposed upon him as king, had<\/span>
\nsuffered in hell for eighty thousand years. The suffering in hell<\/span>
\nwas so intense and severe that the Bodhisatta vowed to never again<\/span>
\ngo back there at any cost. At this moment the Bodhisatta\u2019s time in<\/span>
\nTavatimsa was about to expire and he was due to be reborn to a<\/span>
\nhigher existence.<\/span>
\nHowever, seeing the opportunity to build up additional virtues, the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta consented to Sakka\u2019s wish, whereupon, he passed from<\/span>
\nTavatimsa to take birth in the womb of Queen Candadevi. On<\/span>
\nthe day of his birth, an auspicious rain fell upon the city, a sign of<\/span>
\nfertility and great happiness. At the same time, five hundred nobles<\/span>
\ngave birth to infants who were to grow up with the Bodhisatta and<\/span>
\nserve him. The infant Bodhisatta was given sweet milk from sixtyfour<\/span>
\nwet nurses selected for their flawless beauty and good health.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Prince Who was Terrified of Hell<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On the occasion of the naming of the infant prince the Brahmins,<\/span>
\nwho were skilled in omens, proclaimed that the royal son possessed<\/span>
\nsigns of future greatness and ought to be a universal ruler. The king<\/span>
\nnamed him \u201cTemiya-Kumaro\u201d, meaning \u201cPrince Drenched with<\/span>
\nWater,\u201d because at the time of his birth he brought auspicious rain<\/span>
\nto the entire city.<\/span>
\nWhen Temiya was one month old, the nurses dressed him up and<\/span>
\nbrought him to the king to sit on his knee. Just then, four thieves<\/span>
\nwho had been arrested were brought before the king. The king sentenced<\/span>
\none robber to a thousand strokes from thorn-laced whips,<\/span>
\nanother to imprisonment in chains, a third to be put to death by<\/span>
\nspears, and a fourth to be impaled.<\/span>
\nThough still an infant, the prince understood and was terrified at<\/span>
\nhis father\u2019s apparent cruelty and thought to himself, \u201cAh, a king, and<\/span>
\nso my father must perform cruel actions every day. By condemning<\/span>
\nmen to death or torture, he will himself be condemned to hell. If,<\/span>
\nthrough enjoying my father\u2019s royal estate I fall into hell by committing<\/span>
\nbad acts, the burden will be too heavy for me.8\u201d<\/span>
\nThe next day, the infant began to think of what it would mean to<\/span>
\nbe king. He recalled a previous existence, in which he himself<\/span>
\nhad reigned as king of Benares, and due to bad actions<\/span>
\ncommitted by him as king, was condemned to hell for eighty<\/span>
\nthousand years. His suffering in hell was so intense that the mere<\/span>
\nthought of it terrified him. Now he was destined to become king<\/span>
\nagain, and would likely suffer the same fate, again.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sixteen Years of Misery<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The following day, while lying half awake under a royal umbrella,<\/span>
\nstill tormented by the troublesome thought and wondering how he<\/span>
\ncould escape his fate, a deity who had been his mother in a former<\/span>
\nlife appeared and said to him, \u201cTemiya my child, if you really desire<\/span>
\nto escape from this pomp and vanity, do not disclose your abilities,<\/span>
\nbut simulate feebleness. Though you are not weak, appear to<\/span>
\nbe weak; though not deaf, feign deafness; and though your mouth<\/span>
\nis perfect, pretend to be dumb. Keep up these appearances with<\/span>
\ndetermination. Then the people will refuse to crown you, and you<\/span>
\nshall be free.\u201d<\/span>
\nTemiya vowed to heed the deity\u2019s advice.<\/span>
\nFrom then on, he pretended to be a crippled deaf-mute, never uttering<\/span>
\na sound, never moving nor listening. His mother and the wet<\/span>
\nnurses tried to force a sound from him by withholding milk for the<\/span>
\nwhole day hoping that he would cry, but to no avail. They tempted<\/span>
\nhim with various cakes and sweets, all kinds of foods and fruit, and<\/span>
\ntoys, but he remained silent.<\/span>
\nBy the time he was five, court ministers began to apply harsher<\/span>
\nmethods to test him. From that time on, until age sixteen, they<\/span>
\ndevised various tricks to terrify him into speaking. They would set<\/span>
\nfire around him, let a fierce elephant loose at him, allow serpents to<\/span>
\ncoil about him, smear him with molasses and allow flies to cover and<\/span>
\nbite him, and let fearsome men put a sword at his neck as if to cut<\/span>
\nhim, but he did not flinch. Pans of fire were placed under his bed,<\/span>
\ncausing blisters to break out on his body, but he endured, muttering<\/span>
\nto himself, \u201cHell was a hundred thousand times worse.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His parents refused to believe Temiya was disabled. They pleaded,<\/span>
\n\u201cDear son, we know that you are not any way crippled by birth, for<\/span>
\ncripples have not such perfect feet, face, or ears as you have.\u201d They<\/span>
\nimplored him to speak, but he lay still, motionless, as if he heard<\/span>
\nnothing.<\/span>
\nAt sixteen, the age when he would have been named heir apparent,<\/span>
\nthe ministers thought, at this age of puberty, surely the boy would<\/span>
\ngive in to sensual desires. So they sent some of the most sumptuous<\/span>
\nand beautiful maidens to seduce him. But he held his breath and<\/span>
\nremained rigid. The maidens left in disgust.<\/span>
\nAt last, the king summoned his Brahmins and asked them why at<\/span>
\nhis son\u2019s birth did they not mention any threatening signs of this<\/span>
\naffliction. Not understanding why and unwilling to admit their<\/span>
\nignorance, they explained that they had not dared cast a shadow on<\/span>
\nthe king\u2019s joy of finally having a son after so many years of trying.<\/span>
\nThe king bemoaned, \u201cWhat will it be best to do?\u201d The Brahmins<\/span>
\nadvised, \u201cO King, if this ill-omened one should be allowed to<\/span>
\nremain in the palace, some terrible sickness or calamity will<\/span>
\ncome upon you and the queen, or maybe even the whole country.<\/span>
\nTherefore, let him remain in the palace no longer, but be put<\/span>
\ninto an ill-omened chariot drawn by ill-omened horses toward the<\/span>
\nwest gate to a charnel ground outside the city and have him buried<\/span>
\nthere.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king, frightened by these words and fearing for the safety of his<\/span>
\ncountry, sadly complied.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Path of Freedom<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The king ordered Sunanda the charioteer to take Temiya to a charnel-<\/span>
\nground far from the city, where he would be killed and buried.<\/span>
\nAs the charioteer worked at digging a grave, Temiya thought, at<\/span>
\nlast he was freed. Whereupon he arose, walked back and forth and<\/span>
\nexercised his limbs, testing whether his strength remained after<\/span>
\nsixteen years of not using it. By the virtue of his merit, not only did<\/span>
\nhis strength not leave him, but, miraculously, he had so much power<\/span>
\nthat he could even lift the chariot as if it were a toy cart. He put on<\/span>
\nthe royal attire which had been removed from him and laid aside by<\/span>
\nSunanda. The jeweled attire and his golden complexion made him<\/span>
\nlook like a demigod.<\/span>
\nTemiya walked over to Sunanda to call his attention. Looking up<\/span>
\nfrom the grave he was digging, Sunanda saw the Bodhisatta with<\/span>
\nall the glory of an angel, not knowing whether it was a man or<\/span>
\ndeity. After an exchange of dialogue, Temiya finally convinced the<\/span>
\ncharioteer that he was not crippled, deaf or dumb, but was<\/span>
\nacting in this way to avoid inheriting the throne so that he could<\/span>
\nbe free to lead a pure meditative life of an ascetic. He relayed to<\/span>
\nSunanda the time he spent in hell, and of his father\u2019s acts of<\/span>
\ncruelty he had witnessed when he was one month old, which<\/span>
\nprompted him to take up the life of an ascetic.<\/span>
\nAfter hearing the Bodhisatta\u2019s story, the charioteer was profoundly<\/span>
\ntouched. He knelt at the Bodhisatta\u2019s feet and asked that he be<\/span>
\nallowed to join him as a hermit. Temiya advised Sunanda to<\/span>
\nclear up his obligations before renouncing the world and<\/span>
\ninstructed him to return to the palace and tell his royal parents the<\/span>
\ntruth about their son.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, as soon as Sunanda had gone, Temiya determined that it<\/span>
\nwould be better for his parents to find him in the garb of a recluse,<\/span>
\nand by the power of his merit Sakka had a hermitage built for him.9<\/span>
\nUpon hearing the news from Sunanda the king and queen were<\/span>
\nso overcome with joy that the king said, \u201cI will myself go forth to<\/span>
\nthe forest and bring him back, and I will relinquish my<\/span>
\nsovereignty to my son.\u201d So he ordered all the chariots, elephants,<\/span>
\nand men-at-arms to be prepared, along with his nobles, courtiers<\/span>
\nand musicians, and set out for the forest.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Conversation with the King<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When the king and his entourage arrived at Temiya\u2019s hermitage<\/span>
\nthey found him garbed as a hermit and living on a diet of leaves.<\/span>
\nThe king exclaimed, \u201cDear son, I am filled with wonder that you<\/span>
\nshould dwell in this forest alone, and eat only these leaves without<\/span>
\neven salt to flavor them and yet have so handsome an appearance,<\/span>
\neven more beautiful than you were before.\u201d To which, the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta replied:<\/span>
\n\u201cFather, that which is called beauty belongs to those who have peace<\/span>
\nof mind. The beauty of those who are discontented is destroyed.<\/span>
\nThose who care for what has passed or what is about to be, are like<\/span>
\nthose who throw straws into the air. I, who sleep on this rough bed<\/span>
\nof grass, find it softer than a couch. I do not care or fear for these<\/span>
\nsimple articles. I need no guards with swords or spears. Though I<\/span>
\nhave lived like an ascetic for sixteen years, I look healthy, and I have<\/span>
\nno dread on account of what I may have done. The food one eats<\/span>
\nalways tastes good if his mind is beautiful. This day I have eaten and<\/span>
\nhave no thoughts as to what I shall eat or what I shall put on the<\/span>
\nnext day. I am content with what I have today and with what I may<\/span>
\nobtain hereafter.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king tried to persuade Temiya to come back to the city. He<\/span>
\npleaded: \u201cDear son, with a great company of elephants and chariots<\/span>
\nI have come to take you back to the inheritance of your ancestors,<\/span>
\nand now hand them to you with sixteen thousand virgins as your<\/span>
\nhandmaids, and bring you back to the city as its ruler.\u201d To which<\/span>
\nthe Bodhisatta replied:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAll things that exist must also expire. Riches must one day come<\/span>
\nto an end. If loss must be the end, why take up the royal estate?<\/span>
\nWomen and beauty, like wealth, also come to an end; why does my<\/span>
\nfather offer this to me? As the fruit that is ripe falls to the earth from<\/span>
\nits stalk, so do all beings decay and perish.<\/span>
\nIf beauty will be destroyed by old age, why should one be attached to<\/span>
\nbeauty? All beings are born to perish, where, then, is the advantage<\/span>
\nof youth, beauty and wealth, which are existing but for a moment?\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he added: \u201cWe ought therefore to seek with all diligence for<\/span>
\nthe release from hell and to overcome all spiritual enemies. And we<\/span>
\nshould strive to be full of that merit which is the result of charity<\/span>
\nproperly directed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Path of Liberation<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Profoundly impressed by these enlightening words, the royal family<\/span>
\nand all of those who came with them determined to embrace the<\/span>
\nascetic life.<\/span>
\nThe king ordered his palace be open to the public and his treasures<\/span>
\nbe made available to any one that wanted them. He relinquished<\/span>
\nall his possessions and renounced his kingdom. Then he sent<\/span>
\nfor the city magistrates and said, \u201cReturn to the city of Benares,<\/span>
\nand let it be proclaimed that the King of Kasi, who has overcome<\/span>
\nall his enemies, makes known to all his subjects that he, having<\/span>
\novercome all his spiritual enemies at the feet of his son, Temiya, has<\/span>
\nrenounced his wealth and his kingdom to live a holy life of an<\/span>
\nascetic. The King desires that all who wish to partake of this<\/span>
\nholy path should renounce all their worldly possessions and come<\/span>
\nout and do so.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo the magistrates did as they were ordered. The people of Kasi saw<\/span>
\nwhat the king did with his treasures and possessions, but no one<\/span>
\ndesired to take advantage of them. In fact they were so impressed<\/span>
\nwith the king\u2019s spiritual pursuit that they, too, came to the realization<\/span>
\nthat spiritual wealth was more important than worldly possessions.<\/span>
\nSo, with one accord, they threw open all their belongings and<\/span>
\nconcealed treasures, left them and came out into the forest. A few<\/span>
\ndrunkards and incompetents, however, remained behind.<\/span>
\nThus they dwelt, living on fruit that fell from the trees, meditating<\/span>
\nand listening to the preaching of moral law, following the moral<\/span>
\nprecepts, and living a life of purity. In due time, all of them achieved<\/span>
\nspiritual attainment. Upon their deaths, they were all reborn unto<\/span>
\nthe Brahma heavens.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”02 Mahajanaka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF PERSEVERANCE” el_id=”1491826123629-3e25b731-978c”]\u00a0Mahajanaka Jataka is the second of the final ten birth stories of the Buddha before he<\/span>
\nbecame the Enlightened One.<\/span>
\nThis is the story of a Bodhisatta prince whose father was killed in battle and lost his<\/span>
\nkingdom before he was born. Upon discovering the truth of his birth the prince vowed<\/span>
\nto regain his father\u2019s kingdom. He set out on a seafaring voyage to build a fortune<\/span>
\nin a distant land so he could use the wealth to build an army. The ship sank and all<\/span>
\non board were killed except him. He drifted in the ocean for seven days without<\/span>
\nfood, but survived through the sheer strength of his determination and<\/span>
\nperseverance. He finally regained his kingdom in the most unusual way.<\/span>
\nThereafter, he discovered the truth of life and left his kingdom to pursue spiritual<\/span>
\nattainment.<\/span>
\nThis is the story of one who would rather perish than give up.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brothers at War<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

There once was a king, Mahajanaka of Mithila, in the kingdom<\/span>
\nof Videha. He had two sons, Aritthajanaka and Polajanaka. When<\/span>
\nthe king died, Aritthajanaka became the new king and the younger<\/span>
\nbrother became his viceroy.<\/span>
\nOne day a close attendant of the king, jealous of the viceroy\u2019s<\/span>
\npopularity with the people, informed the king that the viceroy<\/span>
\nwas scheming to take the throne away from him. At first the king<\/span>
\ndid not believe him, but after hearing the same story repeatedly he<\/span>
\nbegan to believe and had Polajanaka chained and put in prison.<\/span>
\nFrom his prison cell Polajanaka implored to the deities, \u201cIf throughout<\/span>
\nmy life I have never thought of betraying my brother, let the<\/span>
\nchains come loose and let me be free.\u201d Miraculously his chains fell<\/span>
\noff and he escaped to a frontier village. The people of the village<\/span>
\nknew him and gave him help. Because of his charisma and leadership<\/span>
\nskill, soon he attracted many followers.<\/span>
\nThe village people quietly formed an army and trained themselves<\/span>
\nin weapons and warfare. Impressed with their newly developed<\/span>
\nmartial skills, a radical unit of the village army, unbeknownst to<\/span>
\ntheir commanders, raided the king\u2019s troops who were encamped in<\/span>
\nthe forest nearby. They killed many of the king\u2019s soldiers. The commanders<\/span>
\nwere alarmed after this incident was reported to them, for<\/span>
\nthey knew the king would come after them and punish them. They<\/span>
\nwent to Polajanaka to seek his counsel.<\/span>
\n\u201cMy Lord,\u201d said the commanders, \u201cOur people have committed<\/span>
\na terrible mistake by killing the king\u2019s soldiers. It is inevitable that<\/span>
\nthe king will come after us and raid our village. Many of us will be<\/span>
\nslaughtered.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The head commander said, \u201cWar with the king cannot be avoided,<\/span>
\nbut we are outnumbered. A wise general once told me, \u2018The best<\/span>
\ndefense is a good offense.\u2019 Why not attack them first and catch<\/span>
\nthem off guard before they have a chance to mobilize? This may be<\/span>
\nthe only chance we can defeat them. Because our army is small, we<\/span>
\nshould get help from other clans as well. You have many soldiers<\/span>
\nwho are still loyal to you; perhaps we can persuade them to join us.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter some deliberation, Polajanaka agreed with the plan. He proclaimed,<\/span>
\n\u201cI have never done anything against my brother. Now I am<\/span>
\nforced to declare war upon him.\u201d<\/span>
\nThey sent emissaries to several towns and villages to persuade<\/span>
\nthem to join in the campaign. Many of them participated. As they<\/span>
\nmarched toward the city of Mithila, some of the inhabitants of<\/span>
\nMithila also came out to join them. Polajanaka\u2019s army now grew to<\/span>
\na formidable size.<\/span>
\nFrom his encampment on the outskirt of Mithila, Polajanaka sent a<\/span>
\nmessage to his brother: \u201cI was not your enemy before, but because<\/span>
\nof what you have done to me, I am your enemy now. Either give up<\/span>
\nthe kingdom or give battle.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The King is Killed<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

By now the king had realized the wrong he had done to Polajanaka.<\/span>
\nHe was unhappy with the situation, for he knew that his chance<\/span>
\nof winning the war was dim. Having been the king\u2019s own<\/span>
\ncommander-in-chief before he was exiled, Polajanaka knew all the<\/span>
\ngenerals and their strategies. The king was reluctant to go to battle,<\/span>
\nbut if he chose not to do so his people would not think of him as a<\/span>
\nbrave man.<\/span>
\nAs if knowing his fate, the king bade farewell to his pregnant queen<\/span>
\nand said to her, \u201cMy beloved, the outcome of war is unpredictable.<\/span>
\nIf anything happens to me I want you to leave Mithila and take<\/span>
\nrefuge in the city of Kalacampa so you can protect our<\/span>
\nunborn child.\u201d He gave her instructions on how to do so and then<\/span>
\nwent off to the battle field.<\/span>
\nOn the first day of the battle the king was shot with arrows from<\/span>
\nPolajanaka\u2019s archers and died on his elephant\u2019s back. Without their<\/span>
\nleader, the king\u2019s army went into disarray. Seeing no hope of winning<\/span>
\nand to prevent more bloodshed, the king\u2019s ministers opened<\/span>
\nthe city gate and let Polajanaka\u2019s army enter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Queen on the Run<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Upon hearing news of the king\u2019s death, the queen gathered her most<\/span>
\nprecious valuables into a basket, spread a cloth on top and covered<\/span>
\nthem with rice grains. She put on some worn and ragged garments<\/span>
\nand soiled her face with soot so that she would not be recognized.<\/span>
\nThen, lifting the basket onto her head, she went unnoticed out of<\/span>
\nthe city by the northern gate.<\/span>
\nNow, in the queen\u2019s womb was no ordinary child, but a Bodhisatta.<\/span>
\nThe merit-power of the unborn child drew the attention of Sakka,<\/span>
\ngod of Tavatimsa Heaven, who came to protect the queen. Sakka<\/span>
\ndisguised himself as an old man driving a covered wagon. Meeting<\/span>
\nthe queen upon the road, he asked her where she was headed. The<\/span>
\nqueen said she wanted to go to the city of Kalacampa but did not<\/span>
\nknow the way. The old man offered to take her there.<\/span>
\nIn Kalacampa, the unrecognized queen was met by a wise and compassionate<\/span>
\nBrahmin teacher who had five hundred students.<\/span>
\nUpon finding out who she was and what she had been through the<\/span>
\nBrahmin said, \u201cDo not be miserable. I am a Brahmin of a good<\/span>
\nfamily and a teacher of great fame. I will watch over you as if you<\/span>
\nwere my sister.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo the good Brahmin and his wife took her into their family and<\/span>
\nlooked after her. A short time later the queen gave birth to a son<\/span>
\nwhose skin was as radiant as gold. She called him Mahajanaka,<\/span>
\nafter his grandfather\u2019s name. The boy grew up to be handsome and<\/span>
\nstrong. The queen withheld the secret of his birth for many years,<\/span>
\nuntil one day she was forced to reveal to him his real birthright.<\/span><\/p>\n

Who is My Father?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy child,\u201d she said, \u201cyou are the son of King Aritthajanaka<\/span>
\nof Mithila. Your father was killed in battle by his brother and I<\/span>
\nfled to this city to save the both of us. The good Brahmin has<\/span>
\ntreated me as his sister and taken care of me.\u201d<\/span>
\nUpon learning the truth of his birth, Mahajanaka\u2019s outlook on life<\/span>
\nchanged. He behaved maturely and became more mindful of his<\/span>
\npurpose in life. By the time he was sixteen he had mastered all the<\/span>
\narts and sciences of his time. The thought of regaining his<\/span>
\nfather\u2019s kingdom was always on his mind. One day he<\/span>
\nannounced to his mother, \u201cIt is now time that I must regain my<\/span>
\nfather\u2019s kingdom.\u201d His mother understood and gave him her<\/span>
\nblessing.<\/span>
\n\u201cMother,\u201d he said, \u201cI have been thinking of a plan. To regain<\/span>
\nmy father\u2019s kingdom I must have an army. To build an army I must<\/span>
\nhave good financial resources. With some help from you I will<\/span>
\nbuild my fortune through trade. How many valuables have you<\/span>
\nput aside?\u201d<\/span>
\nHis mother said, \u201cI have put away some gold and jewels of great<\/span>
\nvalue knowing that one day they will be needed. These valuables are<\/span>
\nmore than enough to build an army with. There is no need for you<\/span>
\nto seek fortune through other means.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cMother,\u201d he said, \u201cI will only take half of your valuables and I will<\/span>
\ngo to Suvannabhumi where I will make my fortune in trade, then I<\/span>
\nwill use that fortune to build an army and go to Mithila to seize the<\/span>
\nkingdom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After purchasing some goods for trading using his mother\u2019s precious<\/span>
\njewels, he boarded a vessel bound for Suvannabhumi, the golden<\/span>
\nland of the east. The ship was loaded to full capacity with seven<\/span>
\ncaravans of goods along with seven hundred merchants.<\/span>
\nHis mother pleaded for him not to go. \u201cMy son,\u201d she said, \u201cthe sea is<\/span>
\nfull of dangers. I have seen many ships that left and never returned.<\/span>
\nPlease do not go. The valuables I have are more than enough for you<\/span>
\nto build an army.\u201d But Mahajanaka had made up his mind. He bade<\/span>
\nfarewell to his mother and promised to return to get her. Then he<\/span>
\nembarked onboard the ship.<\/span>
\nThat same day his uncle Polajanaka, the new king of Mithila, fell ill.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shipwreck<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The ship sailed over the ocean at full speed. After seven days of<\/span>
\nplunging through heavy seas, the overloaded ship began to founder.<\/span>
\nIts planks gave way. The water leaked into the ship and rose higher<\/span>
\nand higher and the ship began to sink. All on board panicked except<\/span>
\nMahajanaka. Some wept and wailed, and some prayed for their<\/span>
\ndifferent gods to save them.<\/span>
\nMahajanaka stayed composed. He did not implore any deities for<\/span>
\nhelp. Knowing that the vessel was doomed he prepared himself for<\/span>
\nthe ordeal by eating a full meal and covered himself with sugar and<\/span>
\nghee to protect his body from the water, and smeared his two clean<\/span>
\ngarments with oil and put them tightly on him. Then he stood<\/span>
\nleaning against the mast.<\/span>
\nWhen the ship went down, men and animals were devoured by<\/span>
\nsharks and other sea creatures that infested the area. Mahajanaka<\/span>
\nmanaged to get himself on the top of the mast and, facing the direction<\/span>
\nof Mithila, gathered all his strength and threw himself a far<\/span>
\ndistance from the ship, away from the feasting sharks and swirling<\/span>
\nwater caused by the sinking ship.<\/span>
\nThat very day King Polajanaka was at his deathbed surrounded by<\/span>
\nhis ministers and priests.<\/span>
\nMahajanaka drifted in the ocean for seven days without food and<\/span>
\nfresh water. Exhausted and pale but with great determination, he<\/span>
\nkept swimming toward the direction of Mithila. His body was worn<\/span>
\nout but his mind remained strong. Many times he thought of giving<\/span>
\nup, but each time he reminded himself that his mission had not<\/span>
\nyet been accomplished. This gave him strength and he strove on.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Conversation with a Goddess<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Now at that time the goddess Manimekhala, guardian of the seas,<\/span>
\ntook notice of the Bodhisatta. She flew over to him and asked, \u201cHere<\/span>
\nin this deep and boundless water where no shore is in sight, why do<\/span>
\nyou keep swimming?\u201d<\/span>
\nLooking into the air, Mahajanaka replied, \u201cKnowing my duty,<\/span>
\nI must strive while I can. Here in mid ocean far from land I do my<\/span>
\nutmost like a brave man.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cYour strivings are in vain,\u201d said Manimekhala. \u201cHere in mid<\/span>
\nocean you are bound to die.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta replied, \u201cHe who thinks there is no more hope to<\/span>
\nwin, so he gives up, is not a man of courage. He who does everything<\/span>
\nthat a man can do is free from guilt. If I perish while I strive<\/span>
\nto do my best, I shall not be blamed but shall be admired.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cBut if you know that the effort is bound to yield no good results,<\/span>
\nit is an effort fully wasted.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cIt is my unyielding efforts that got me to this day. Do you not see<\/span>
\nthat all the others have perished and I am still alive? As long as there<\/span>
\nis breath in me and my strength still holds, I will persevere. I will not<\/span>
\nyield until I reach shore,\u201d he responded.<\/span>
\nShe commended him, \u201cYou are truly a man of courage. Your bravery<\/span>
\nis remarkable, your sense of duty admirable, and your efforts unparalleled.<\/span>
\nYou are indeed an example for all to follow. I will help you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Then she asked him where he was headed, to which he replied,<\/span>
\n\u201cTo the city of Mithila.\u201d<\/span>
\nShe lifted him from the water, laid him in her arms as if he were her<\/span>
\ndear child, and sprang up in the air. Delighted with the heavenly<\/span>
\ncontact, Mahajanaka fell into a trance. The goddess flew with him<\/span>
\nuntil they reached a mango grove in the royal park of Mithila. She<\/span>
\nlaid him on the ceremonial stone in the middle of the park and<\/span>
\nwished him well.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Find Me the Worthy One<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Back in the court of Mithila, King Polajanaka was at his deathbed<\/span>
\nsurrounded by his ministers and royal priests. The ministers<\/span>
\nappealed to him, \u201cO king, to whom shall we give the kingdom when<\/span>
\nyou have departed?\u201d<\/span>
\nIn his dying breath the king said, \u201cFind a worthy one who can win<\/span>
\nmy daughter Princess Sivali\u2019s heart; or an intelligent one who can tell<\/span>
\nthe head of the mysterious square bed; or a powerful one who can<\/span>
\nstring the bow which requires the strength of a thousand men; or a<\/span>
\nwise one who can solve the riddles leading to the sixteen treasures.\u201d<\/span>
\nAnd the king gave the riddles and the clues to the chief minister.<\/span>
\nMany ambitious men, from generals to courtiers to commoners,<\/span>
\nwere desirous of winning the princess\u2019 hand and the king\u2019s throne.<\/span>
\nThey went out of their way to compete for her affection. Each one,<\/span>
\nin an effort to win Sivali, obeyed her every whim. The more they<\/span>
\ntried to please her the more she scorned them and sent them away<\/span>
\nridiculed.<\/span>
\nThe ministers declared, \u201cNo one is able to please the princess. Give<\/span>
\nthe throne to him who is able to string the bow which requires the<\/span>
\nstrength of a thousand men.\u201d But no one could string it.<\/span>
\n\u201cGive the throne to him who knows which is the head of the<\/span>
\nmysterious square bed.\u201d But no one knew it.<\/span>
\n\u201cThen give the throne to him who is able to draw out the sixteen<\/span>
\ngreat treasures.\u201d But no one could draw them out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Feeling hopeless the ministers bemoaned, \u201cThis is bad news for<\/span>
\nMithila. The kingdom cannot be preserved without a king. What<\/span>
\nshould we do?\u201d<\/span>
\nWhereupon, the head of the royal priests came forth and said to<\/span>
\nthem, \u201cDo not lose hope; there is one more way. We now must leave<\/span>
\nthis to the gods to lead us to the worthy one who has enough merit<\/span>
\nto become a good and righteous king. We must send out the festive<\/span>
\ncarriage drawn by four auspicious horses, adorned with auspicious<\/span>
\ndecorations, and pray to the deities to lead us to the \u2018chosen one\u2019.\u201d<\/span>
\nAnd so they decorated the city, harnessed four glorious white steeds<\/span>
\nto the handsomely decorated royal carriage, and called for a band of<\/span>
\nmusicians to stand ready. After performing the ceremonial rites and<\/span>
\nrituals, they invoked the carriage to begin the quest.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Chosen King<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Followed by a great crowd, the carriage went solemnly around the<\/span>
\npalace and proceeded up the road. It went around the city, left the<\/span>
\ncity by the eastern gate, then picked up speed and headed toward<\/span>
\nthe royal park. The carriage entered the park and went straight<\/span>
\nto the ceremonial stone where the Bodhisatta lay sleeping. After<\/span>
\ncircling the stone three times, the carriage came to a stop as if ready<\/span>
\nto be mounted by its master.<\/span>
\nThe head priest saw the Bodhisatta lying on the ceremonial stone<\/span>
\nand wondered if this indeed was the worthy one. He inspected the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta and uncovered his feet to look for auspicious signs. To<\/span>
\nhis delight he saw the marks that confirmed the signs of greatness<\/span>
\naccording to celestial knowledge. He declared, \u201cThis is indeed a day<\/span>
\nof happiness for our kingdom. Not only is this Great One worthy<\/span>
\nof ruling our nation, he is worthy of ruling the Four Continents.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe head priest then joined his palms together in a gesture of reverence,<\/span>
\nbent down and said to the Bodhisatta, \u201cRise, my Lord, the<\/span>
\nkingdom of Mithila belongs to thee.\u201d<\/span>
\nMahajanaka rose. \u201cWhere is the king?\u201d he asked.<\/span>
\n\u201cHe is dead.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cHas he left no son or brother?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cNone, my Lord.\u201d<\/span>
\nWith everything clear to his satisfaction, Mahajanaka accepted<\/span>
\nthe kingdom.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the course of the event, Mahajanaka was able to solve all<\/span>
\nthe riddles and drew out the locations of all sixteen hidden treasures;<\/span>
\nand through his extraordinary physical strength he was able to<\/span>
\nstring the great bow with ease. His charms and intellect captivated<\/span>
\nPrincess Sivali, who fell in love with him more and more each day. So<\/span>
\nMahajanaka fulfilled all the conditions to become king. The people<\/span>
\nalso came to find out that he was the son of their previous monarch,<\/span>
\nKing Aritthajanaka. This made them even more overjoyed.<\/span>
\nKing Mahajanaka married Princess Sivali and made her his queen.<\/span>
\nHe sent his senior ministers in a grand procession to invite his<\/span>
\nmother and the good Brahmin and his wife to take residence at his<\/span>
\npalace. Festivities were held in their honor.<\/span>
\nSoon Queen Sivali bore him a son endowed with auspicious marks,<\/span>
\nand they called him Dighavu-Kumara. This was a time of happiness<\/span>
\nfor everyone.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Power of Perseverance<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

King Mahajanaka was cognizant of the fact that his prosperity<\/span>
\nwas due to merit-results from charitable deeds performed by him<\/span>
\nduring his previous lifetimes. He was also aware of the fact that previously<\/span>
\naccumulated merit could be exhausted if new merit was not<\/span>
\ncultivated. So he had six alms halls built throughout the city to feed<\/span>
\nthe hungry and to help the poor. He performed charitable giving<\/span>
\nwithout missing a day. His kindness and generosity was known<\/span>
\nthroughout the land. For seven thousand years he ruled his kingdom<\/span>
\nrighteously according to the Ten Royal Duties10 required of a<\/span>
\nrighteous monarch. The people of Mithila enjoyed a period of peace<\/span>
\nand prosperity throughout his reign.<\/span>
\nOne day he was on top of his palace looking out at the vast expanse<\/span>
\nof his kingdom and its wealth. He reflected on his good fortune and<\/span>
\nrecalled the time he spent struggling in the ocean:<\/span>
\n\u201cMy success is truly due to my perseverance, without which I would<\/span>
\nhave perished along with the other seven hundred men in the ocean.<\/span>
\nTo succeed in any endeavor, one must pursue his goal with courage,<\/span>
\ndetermination and perseverance. These are the ingredients for<\/span>
\nsuccess, the absence of which no task can be accomplished.\u201d<\/span>
\nA wise person should have hope and aspiration. He should strive to<\/span>
\nfulfill his hope with diligence and perseverance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Lesson from the Mango Trees<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One day King Mahajanaka was riding on his elephant to tour the<\/span>
\nroyal garden, followed by his ministers and a large entourage. Upon<\/span>
\nentering the garden he noticed two great mango trees, one full of<\/span>
\nmangoes and the other without any fruit. The mangos looked ripe<\/span>
\nand inviting. His attendants were tempted to pick them but no one<\/span>
\ndared to do so before the king.<\/span>
\nFrom the back of his elephant the king picked one mango and<\/span>
\ntasted it. The flavor was so divine that the king thought to himself,<\/span>
\n\u201cUm\u2026 this mango is truly delicious. On my way back I will eat<\/span>
\nsome more.\u201d Then he continued on.<\/span>
\nSeeing that the king had eaten his fruit and moved on, the ministers<\/span>
\nand courtiers proceeded to help themselves to the mangoes that<\/span>
\nwere hanging low. After the low-hanging mangoes were all taken,<\/span>
\nthe people who followed behind climbed up the tree in a hurry to<\/span>
\nwrangle for the rest of the fruits. In the commotion they broke the<\/span>
\nlimbs and ravaged the leaves until that tree stood all broken and<\/span>
\nbattered.<\/span>
\nAs for the tree without fruit, it stood glorious and green and<\/span>
\nunblemished, and its leaves were flowing with the breeze as if it<\/span>
\nwere smiling.<\/span>
\nOn his way back the king was startled at what he saw. He asked his<\/span>
\nministers what had happened.<\/span>
\n\u201cThe crowd saw that Your Majesty had eaten the first fruit, so they<\/span>
\nplundered and ravaged the tree,\u201d they replied.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut this other tree stands strong and has not lost a leaf.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cIt has not lost a leave because it had no fruit. No one bothered it.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king was amazed. He thought to himself, \u201cThis tree stands<\/span>
\ngreen and whole because it has no fruit; this other tree is broken and<\/span>
\nbattered because of its fruit.\u201d<\/span>
\nThis served as an awakening for him as he realized the following<\/span>
\ntruths:<\/span>
\n\u201cA tree is plundered for its fruits; an elephant is slain for his ivory, a<\/span>
\nleopard for his skin, a rich man for his money. It is possessions that<\/span>
\ncause fears and worries.<\/span>
\nOne who possesses nothing of his own has no cause for worries.<\/span>
\nOne without possession is like the tree without fruit; no danger will<\/span>
\ncome to him. Life of an ascetic, one who possesses nothing, is a life<\/span>
\nfree of worries.<\/span>
\nWe kings are like that fruitful tree, constantly exposed to dangers.<\/span>
\nHis heart, his mind, is never free. Why should I be like the fruitful<\/span>
\ntree? These two mango trees are my teachers; from them I learn a<\/span>
\nlesson of life.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Spiritual Pursuit<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

With this awakening, the Bodhisatta resolved to put aside his<\/span>
\nkingdom and take up the life of an ascetic. He returned to his palace,<\/span>
\nsummoned his chief minister and said to him, \u201cMy good minister,<\/span>
\nfrom this day on no one should see me except the servants who<\/span>
\nbring me meals. I ask you, with the help and counsel of all who are<\/span>
\nwise and capable, assume the duty of governing my kingdom on<\/span>
\nmy behalf. I will henceforth live the life of a recluse in the private<\/span>
\nquarters of my palace.\u201d<\/span>
\nFor four months King Mahajanaka lived like an ascetic on the<\/span>
\ntop floor of his palace, not allowing even his queen to see him.<\/span>
\nHe contemplated spiritual attainment. The more he contemplated<\/span>
\nthe more it became clear to him that the worldly life was a life full<\/span>
\nof suffering. To gain spiritual freedom he must relinquish everything<\/span>
\nand live a holy life of an ascetic, in the forest. Arriving at this<\/span>
\nconclusion, he shaved his head, put on the robes of an ascetic and<\/span>
\nleft the palace.<\/span>
\nQueen Sivali was distraught when she learned that King Mahajanaka<\/span>
\nhad left her. She, accompanied by court ladies and soldiers,<\/span>
\nset out to find him. They caught up with him in a forest path<\/span>
\nand followed him, pleading for him to return. Despite the king’s<\/span>
\npleas to leave him alone, they kept following him for several days.<\/span>
\nUntil one day, the king finally managed to leave them without a<\/span>
\ntrace. Queen Sivali accepted her husband\u2019s decision and found<\/span>
\npeace with herself, and she rejoiced in his merit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mahajanaka found his way to the Himavanta forest and was never<\/span>
\nagain seen in the world of men. He found his peace and tranquility<\/span>
\nand was able to settle his mind. In the course of seven days he was<\/span>
\nable to perfect his faculties and spiritual attainments. Upon death he<\/span>
\nwas reborn unto the Brahma heaven.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”03 Sama Jataka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF LOVING-KINDNESS” el_id=”1491826180212-3627e097-d28c”]\u00a0During the time of the Buddha, a young man from a wealthy family wished to be ordained as a monk but<\/span>
\nhis parents would not let him. They told him that, as their only son, it was his responsibility to carry on the<\/span>
\nfamily lineage and to look after them during their old age. Having made up his mind to follow the path of<\/span>
\npurity by becoming a monk, the young man told his parents he would fast to death unless they agreed to<\/span>
\nlet him ordain. Still, they would not let him. So he fasted for several days until he became weak and pale.<\/span>
\nFearing that their son would die they finally gave in.<\/span><\/p>\n

So the young man became a monk and lived a life of austerity for several years. One day he received news<\/span>
\nthat his parents had fallen into hard times and had lost all of their wealth and possessions. They became<\/span>
\nhomeless, clothed in rags and wandered around begging for food. Saddened by the news he went to see<\/span>
\nthem. The sight of his parents made him miserable. He felt responsible for what had happened to them.<\/span>
\nThereafter, he stayed close to his parents to watch over them and would give them the food from his alms<\/span>
\ngathering. He would not eat his alms food unless there was leftover from his parents. Some days there was<\/span>
\nnot enough food to go around and he had to starve.<\/span><\/p>\n

This went on for a while until he became so thin and pale that his fellow monks thought he was suffering<\/span>
\nan illness. After learning the real reason from the young monk they told him that it was wrong to give<\/span>
\nofferings from faithful donors to laypeople. They brought the matter up to the Buddha. Upon hearing the<\/span>
\nreason behind what the young monk had done, the Buddha complimented him for being a good son.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said to the monks, \u201cIt is an immemorial custom with the wise to cherish and support their parents.<\/span>
\nParents are worthy of respect and gratitude from their sons and daughters above all things.\u201d Then<\/span>
\nthe Buddha went on to tell them a story of his past lives, now known as Sama Jataka.<\/span><\/p>\n

Families of Hunters<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Once there were two villages of hunters on the opposite banks of<\/span>
\na river not far from the city of Benares. Their village chiefs were<\/span>
\nthe best of friends who had made a pact with one another, if<\/span>
\none of them had a son and the other had a daughter, that they<\/span>
\nwould marry them. One chief had a boy and named him Dukulaka;<\/span>
\nthe other had a girl and named her Parika.<\/span>
\nThough Dukulaka and Parika grew up with hunters they refused<\/span>
\nto harm any living creature. When they reached the age of sixteen<\/span>
\ntheir parents married them against their will, but secretly they determined<\/span>
\nto live as brother and sister. They felt obliged to abstain<\/span>
\nfrom any intimacy and deny themselves all pleasures of the<\/span>
\nsenses. In the course of time the two decided to leave their<\/span>
\nvillages and lived like hermits in the forest. They headed for the<\/span>
\nforest of Himavanta, where they hoped to find peace, tranquility<\/span>
\nand solitude.<\/span>
\nUpon reaching Himavanta they settled down in a hermitage.<\/span>
\nThere, they led a pure and meditative life of ascetics. They<\/span>
\nmeditated regu-larly and extended loving-kindness to all living<\/span>
\nbeings. The effect of their loving-kindness was felt by all the<\/span>
\nbirds and beasts. No danger ever came upon them from any of<\/span>
\nthe animals … until one fateful day.<\/span>
\nOne day, Sakka, ruler of Tavatimsa Heaven and protector of virtuous<\/span>
\npeople, foresaw that a grave misfortune was about to come upon<\/span>
\nthem. Sakka came down to earth and warned them of the danger.<\/span>
\nHe tried to convince them that they should bear a son so there will<\/span>
\nbe someone to care for them when affliction strikes. They refused to<\/span>
\ngo along saying that this was not the way of asceticism. Then Sakka<\/span>
\nadvised them that an immaculate conception would be possible if,<\/span>
\nduring Parika\u2019s period of fertility, Dukulaka would place his hand<\/span>
\non her belly and rub on it. To this, Dukulaka and Parika agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Bodhisatta is Born<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Nine months later, a great being, the Bodhisatta, was born unto<\/span>
\nthem. His skin was as radiant as gold. They named him<\/span>
\nSuvana-Sama (Sama the Golden).<\/span>
\nSama grew up in the Himavanta Forest populated by ordinary<\/span>
\nand supernatural creatures. Graceful kinaris11 who lived in a secret<\/span>
\npart of the forest came to nurse him and look after him while his<\/span>
\nparents were away looking for fruits and berries in the forest. They<\/span>
\ncherished him as he grew up year after year.<\/span>
\nSama, was a kind and compassionate young boy. His character<\/span>
\nand mannerism was gentle and refined. He moved about gently,<\/span>
\nradiating loving-kindness around him. Even animals, timid of other<\/span>
\nmen, felt at ease around him. They played with him and followed<\/span>
\nhim wherever he went.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Retribution from a Bad Kamma<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When Sama was sixteen, as predicted, a misfortune befell his<\/span>
\nparents. As they were making their way home after a day of<\/span>
\ngathering fruits, it suddenly began to rain. They took shelter under<\/span>
\na big tree and unwittingly stood on an anthill under which a poisonous<\/span>
\nsnake lived. As they huddled there, the rain washed their sweat<\/span>
\ndown onto the snake\u2019s nostrils which made it angry. It puffed out<\/span>
\nits deadly breath at them and blinded them instantly. Unable to see<\/span>
\nanything, Dukulaka and Parika were horrified. They cried out at<\/span>
\ntheir misfortune.<\/span>
\nIn a former existence, Dukulaka and Parika had been born as<\/span>
\nhusband and wife who practiced medicine. The husband had treated<\/span>
\na wealthy patient with an eye disease that blinded him. The patient<\/span>
\nhad promised to pay the doctor handsomely if he was able to cure<\/span>
\nhis blindness. The doctor did cure him from blindness, but instead<\/span>
\nof paying the doctor as promised the rich patient made all sorts of<\/span>
\nexcuses to avoid paying. This greatly upset the doctor. He asked<\/span>
\nhis wife what he should do. The wife, overcome by anger, told the<\/span>
\ndoctor to put poison in the patient\u2019s eyes as a way to teach him a<\/span>
\nlesson. When the patient showed up for a subsequent visit he mixed<\/span>
\nthe medicine with poison and dropped it in the patient\u2019s eyes which<\/span>
\nblinded him. This grievous deed gave rise to a bad kamma that<\/span>
\nfollowed Dukulaka and Parika to the present lifetime.<\/span>
\nThe Law of Kamma is a universal law that applies to everyone with<\/span>
\nno exceptions. An action, good or bad, produces results. Actions<\/span>
\nthat bring goodness to oneself and others produce good karmic<\/span>
\nconsequences, while actions that cause suffering to oneself or<\/span>
\nothers, whether justified or not, bear negative karmic consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Karmic retributions, both positive and negative, can follow the<\/span>
\ndoers through many lifetimes. It is unpredictable when these<\/span>
\nretributions will take effect, but they never go away, and will bear<\/span>
\nfruit in their own time.<\/span>
\nFor Dukulaka and Parika, their negative karmic retributions had<\/span>
\nnow caught up with them and made them suffer the consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Perfect Son<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When Sama noticed his parents failed to return at the normal<\/span>
\ntime, he went out to look for them. When he finally found<\/span>
\nthem they were in a distressed state, unable to see anything.<\/span>
\nHe cried bitterly at his parents\u2019 suffering but soon regained his<\/span>
\nmindfulness and told himself that this was a chance for him to<\/span>
\nfulfill his gratitude towards his parents and to look after them. He<\/span>
\nled them back to the hermitage before nightfall.<\/span>
\nFrom this time onward Sama looked after his parents with the<\/span>
\nutmost dedication. He bathed them, washed their feet, collected<\/span>
\nfood for them, fed them succulent fruits, swept their dwelling clean,<\/span>
\ncomforted them, and went everyday to a pond to fill a water pot for<\/span>
\nthem. He tied ropes and bamboo poles in all directions for them<\/span>
\nto navigate their whereabouts. Sama\u2019s gentle loving care made<\/span>
\nthe lives of his blind parents more bearable.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A King with a Cruel Heart<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At that time in Benares reigned a young king named Piliyakkha.<\/span>
\nHe was a heartless king who took great pleasure in hunting and<\/span>
\nkilling wild animals for their flesh. His craving for eating the flesh<\/span>
\nof wild animals was insatiable. Over the years he and his hunting<\/span>
\nmates had hunted and killed so many animals in his area that the<\/span>
\nanimals all migrated away into other forests.<\/span>
\nOne day his royal chef came to him and informed him that they<\/span>
\ncould no longer find any large animals in the area. The king was<\/span>
\nannoyed as his craving for the flesh of wild animals grew stronger by<\/span>
\nthe day. Finally, he decided to take time off from his kingdom to go<\/span>
\nhunting by himself on an extended journey. He asked his mother to<\/span>
\nlook after the kingdom on his behalf, then equipped himself with all<\/span>
\nkinds of weapons, and rode off into the forests. He would hunt and<\/span>
\nkill animals everywhere he went. This turned out to be a fulfilling<\/span>
\nadventure for him.<\/span>
\nSoon he wandered into the region of Himavanta forest. Venturing<\/span>
\ndeeper and deeper he came upon a river that was crystal clear and<\/span>
\nsurrounded by lush green trees and vegetation. He finally reached<\/span>
\nthe glade where Sama came to fetch water every day. There he saw<\/span>
\na great number of animal footprints. He was excited. \u201cThis is<\/span>
\ngoing to be a good day; here is where I will take my trophy,\u201d he<\/span>
\nexclaimed joyfully. He looked around for a strategic spot to<\/span>
\nconceal himself in ambush. He found a perfect spot and put up a<\/span>
\nhidden shelter there. Then he got his bow and arrows ready and he<\/span>
\nwaited.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Poisoned Arrow<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

That afternoon, after taking care of his parents for the day, Sama<\/span>
\nmade his trip to the river to fetch water. As usual, many animals<\/span>
\nfollowed him.<\/span>
\nThe king hiding in his secret place saw Sama and was fascinated<\/span>
\nby the sight of what appeared to be some divine being by his<\/span>
\ngolden complexion and the ability to tame the animals of the<\/span>
\nforest. He thought to himself, \u201cAll the time that I have been wandering<\/span>
\nhere I have never seen a human; is he a deity or a naga? Now if I<\/span>
\ngo up and ask him, he will fly up into heaven if he is a deity; and if<\/span>
\nhe is a naga he will sink into the earth and disappear. If he is indeed<\/span>
\na non-human I will capture him and take him home to show my<\/span>
\npeople. They will be fascinated by my accomplishment.\u201d<\/span>
\nHaving been so used to killing as a habit, he thought nothing of<\/span>
\ncausing suffering to others. King Piliyakka drew back his bow<\/span>
\nand shot a poisoned arrow at Sama. The arrow went into the right<\/span>
\nside of Sama and came out the other side, inflicting terrible pain.<\/span>
\nThe animals fled in terror. The water pot tumbled over and<\/span>
\nSama fell onto the sand. Blood poured out of his body and his<\/span>
\nmouth as he spoke these words:<\/span>
\n\u201cI have no enemies in this forest and I have no enmity against anyone;<\/span>
\nmy dear friend, why do you wish to kill me. My flesh cannot<\/span>
\nbe eaten; my skin is of no use to anyone; what is there to gain for<\/span>
\nkilling me? Who are you? Please tell me your name. Why did<\/span>
\nyou shoot me and why are you hiding in the bush?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When the king heard this, he thought to himself, \u201cThough he has<\/span>
\nbeen gravely wounded by my poisoned arrow, yet he neither scorned<\/span>
\nnor blamed me, but spoke to me in such a kind tone. I must go<\/span>
\nup and face him.\u201d So he went up and stood near him. Even<\/span>
\nwhile Sama was writhing in pain, the king felt no remorse. He<\/span>
\nsaid proudly, \u201cI am King Piliyakkha of Benares. I am well-trained<\/span>
\nin the art of weapons and I am a skilled archer. Even a large<\/span>
\nelephant could not escape death from my arrows. I took time off<\/span>
\nfrom my royal duties to hunt for wild animals.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he lied to Sama that he was aiming for a deer, but Sama<\/span>
\napproached and scared the deer away; so he was angry and shot at<\/span>
\nhim. To which the Bodhisatta said, \u201cWhy are you speaking thus? In<\/span>
\nall of Himavanta, there is not a deer or any other animal that will<\/span>
\nrun away when they see me. They are all my friends.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king thought to himself, \u201cI have wounded this innocent being<\/span>
\nand told a lie. This is not the way of a brave man.\u201d So he admitted<\/span>
\nthe truth. Still the Bodhisatta did not scold him. Instead, he grieved<\/span>
\naloud for his parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Who Will Look After My Parents?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBoth of my parents are blind. Who will look after them now?<\/span>
\nWho will find food for them? Who will bring them water each day?<\/span>
\nWho will bathe them? They will die without me.\u201d<\/span>
\nOn hearing Sama\u2019s lamentation the king\u2019s conscience began to<\/span>
\ntrouble him. He came to an awakening: \u201cThis is a man who cherishes<\/span>
\nhis parents. He is a virtuous son. Even amidst all his pain he<\/span>
\ndoes not think of himself but only of his parents. By harming such<\/span>
\na man I have committed a grave sin. Hell will no doubt await me.<\/span>
\nWhat good will my kingdom do me if I end up in hell? What must<\/span>
\nI do to correct my sin?\u201d<\/span>
\nThere upon a celestial being by the name of Suntaree, who<\/span>
\nhad been Sama\u2019s mother in a previous life, witnessed the incident<\/span>
\nand came out to intervene. She spoke to the king, \u201cO King, you<\/span>
\nhave committed a grievous act. An innocent family has been<\/span>
\nruined by your cruel deed. You will suffer a heavy guilt because of<\/span>
\nyour selfish heart. Do some good deed; go and look after his blind<\/span>
\nparents. Let the good deed compensate for your sin. Have a<\/span>
\ncharitable heart and you will reach heaven.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king looked around to see who was speaking, but he saw no<\/span>
\none. He surmised that the voice must have come from a god or an<\/span>
\nangel. He solemnly obeyed.<\/span>
\nSama was bleeding badly; his hands and feet became stiffened<\/span>
\nand his breathing had stopped. The king lamented loudly: \u201cI have<\/span>
\nmurdered an innocent soul; hell is where I will be doomed.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

After a burst of bitter tears the king slowly got up, lifted the water<\/span>
\npot and started walking toward the hermitage. There he confessed<\/span>
\nhis crime to Sama\u2019s parents.<\/span>
\nAt first, Dukulaka and Parika refused to believe what they heard as<\/span>
\nit was too terrible to bear, and then they broke down in tears. Their<\/span>
\nhearts were shattered with grief. Dukulaka tried to comfort his wife<\/span>
\nwith these words: \u201cHatred leads to more hatred. My dear wife, we<\/span>
\nmust be strong. We have been practicing loving-kindness for so<\/span>
\nlong; don\u2019t allow our grief to take away our kindness. We must not<\/span>
\nallow the cycle of bad kamma to continue.\u201d They suppressed their ill<\/span>
\nfeelings and harbored no hatred toward the king. They asked merely<\/span>
\nthat the king lead them to their son\u2019s body. The king complied.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Power of Loving-Kindness<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Upon reaching their son, the two ascetics knelt down and wept<\/span>
\nloudly, unable to control their agony. After their grief had<\/span>
\nsubsided they regained their composure, recalled the merit of<\/span>
\nSama, and prayed: \u201cIf it was true that throughout his times Sama<\/span>
\nalways lived a virtuous life, spoke only the truth, and looked after<\/span>
\nhis parents night and day, then may the power of his good deeds<\/span>
\novercome the poison in his veins and make it harmless.\u201d<\/span>
\nAt the same moment, the celestial being Suntaree, who was<\/span>
\nwatching over Sama\u2019s body the whole time, asserted the virtue of<\/span>
\nSama and prayed for his restoration.<\/span>
\nThrough the strength of their prayers and the merit power of Sama\u2019s<\/span>
\nvirtues, something wonderful happened: Sama began to regain his<\/span>
\nconsciousness and began to move his body. His wound disappeared,<\/span>
\nand his limbs were no longer stiffened. It was also a wondrous day<\/span>
\nfor Dukulaka and Parika, for they have regained their eyesight. Their<\/span>
\nblindness has ended along with their penance from a previous life.<\/span>
\nAs the sun began to rise they could see with their own eyes their son\u2019s<\/span>
\nrestoration. The morning air was filled with bliss. Dukulaka,<\/span>
\nParika and Sama embraced each other heartily as tears of joy<\/span>
\nflooded their eyes.<\/span>
\nSama appeared as radiant and beautiful as he ever was. He paid<\/span>
\nhomage to his parents and expressed words of kindness to the king.<\/span>
\nThe king exclaimed, \u201cThis is a miracle! How is such a thing possible?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bodhisatta said to him, \u201cMiracles do happen. For mortals who<\/span>
\nobey the law of righteousness and nurse their parents in distress, the<\/span>
\nangels praise their deed and come to heal their sickness. The power<\/span>
\nof merit is transcendental and profound.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king said to Sama, \u201cYou are a man of virtue; please be my<\/span>
\nrefuge. Teach me how to reach heaven.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta gave him the following teaching:<\/span>
\n\u201cIf you wish to reach the world of heaven and enjoy divine happiness,<\/span>
\nyou must practice the Ten Virtues of the Ruler and rule your<\/span>
\nkingdom with generosity, morality, self-sacrifice and integrity; and<\/span>
\nyou must treat your subjects with kindness and non-violence.<\/span>
\nFurther, you must fulfill your duty towards your parents, your<\/span>
\nfamily and your friends, your towns and villages, and also your duty<\/span>
\nto nature and to birds and beasts.<\/span>
\nIn addition, you must practice the Five Moral Precepts by<\/span>
\nnot killing, stealing, engaging in sexual misconduct, lying or<\/span>
\ninvolving in any form of intoxicants.<\/span>
\nBy so doing, you will elevate your human quality and will be assured<\/span>
\nof a happy afterlife destination.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The king listened attentively and accepted the Bodhisatta\u2019s teaching<\/span>
\nwhole-heartedly. He expressed his sincere appreciation and thanked<\/span>
\nhim gratefully for showing him the right path. With tears in his<\/span>
\neyes he knelt before the three and asked for their forgiveness. Then<\/span>
\nhe bade farewell to them and began his journey to return to his<\/span>
\nkingdom. From that day onward, King Piliyakkha was a changed<\/span>
\nman. He gave up killing completely and was no longer cruel to<\/span>
\nanyone. He ruled his kingdom righteously and performed charitable<\/span>
\nacts regularly until his last day. Upon his death he was reborn in a<\/span>
\nheavenly realm.<\/span>
\nSama and his parents continued to live peacefully in the Himavanta<\/span>
\nforest. They meditated regularly and extended loving-kindness<\/span>
\nto all living beings. In the course of time all of them perfected their<\/span>
\nfaculties and achieved spiritual attainment. Upon their death they<\/span>
\nwere reborn unto the Brahma world.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”04 Nimi Jataka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF RESOLUTION” el_id=”1491826968734-e8afd72d-8290″]\u00a0In this story, the Bodhisatta was born as a king in an era where people lived as long<\/span>
\nas 400,000 years. By enjoying such a long lifespan, many people tended to lose touch<\/span>
\nwith reality and allowed their time to pass without doing something worthwhile<\/span>
\nspiritually. The Bodhisatta was different. Even though he could live a very long life,<\/span>
\nhe was aware of the fact that nothing was permanent and that one day old age and<\/span>
\ndeath would be upon him. So he was determined to seek spiritual fulfillment before<\/span>
\nhe became too old. He made the resolution that, as soon as a strand of gray hair<\/span>
\nappeared on his head, he would renounce the world and take on the life of an ascetic.<\/span>
\nHe also resolved that all of his descendents would follow this same tradition.<\/span>
\nHere, the Bodhisatta displayed the Virtue of Resolution more firmly than in any of<\/span>
\nhis other previous lives.<\/span>
\nIn this story, we are given a glimpse of the various afterlife realms where bad people<\/span>
\nare punished and good people are rewarded after they die.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Tale of the First Gray Hair<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Once, a Bodhisatta from the Brahma\u2019s world was reborn into the<\/span>
\nhuman realm to become King Makhadeva of Mithila. This took<\/span>
\nplace in the time when people could live as long as 400,000 years.<\/span>
\nMakhadeva spent his first 84,000 years as a young prince, living a<\/span>
\ncarefree lifestyle. He became king, ruling for the next 168,000 years.<\/span>
\nAlthough life was good for him, something inside him told him<\/span>
\nthat he should not be reckless and should make room for spiritual<\/span>
\ndevelopment and to cultivate his virtues before he became too old.<\/span>
\nSo he made a resolution that as soon as a strand of his hair turned<\/span>
\ngray, he would renounce his kingship and become an ascetic. For<\/span>
\nhim, this first strand of gray hair would be a messenger from heaven<\/span>
\nto tell him that old age was just around the corner and that death<\/span>
\nwould soon find him.<\/span>
\nHe told his barber to watch for the first gray hair and to<\/span>
\ninform him the moment he spotted it. A few hundred years had<\/span>
\npassed and finally the barber spotted the first strand of gray hair<\/span>
\non King Makhadeva\u2019s head. He plucked it and placed it on King<\/span>
\nMakhadeva\u2019s palm.<\/span>
\nUpon seeing his first gray hair, King Makhadeva realized the time<\/span>
\nhad come for him to renounce the world and to live the life of an<\/span>
\nascetic. He passed his kingdom over to his son and advised his son<\/span>
\nto live a virtuous life and to rule his kingdom righteously. He told<\/span>
\nhis son to follow the family tradition established by him that upon<\/span>
\nnoticing his son\u2019s first gray hair that he should abdicate and assume<\/span>
\nthe life of an ascetic just like his father has done. He also told his son<\/span>
\nto tell his descendants to uphold this tradition for all their future\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

generations. He made the resolution: \u201cMay my family line carry<\/span>
\non the tradition of asceticism from generation to generation<\/span>
\nuntil reaching Nibbana.\u201d Then he left the kingdom to become an<\/span>
\nascetic. He lived on for another 84,000 years. After death, he was<\/span>
\nreborn in the Brahma\u2019s heaven.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Reborn from the Brahma\u2019s World<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

From his place in Brahma\u2019s heaven he saw that 84,000 of his descendants<\/span>
\nhad followed his example and had preserved their tradition of<\/span>
\nasceticism after their first gray hairs appeared. \u201cWill any of us attain<\/span>
\nNibbana?\u201d he pondered. Through his insight he saw that the state of<\/span>
\nNibbana was not within the reach of any of his line. This being the<\/span>
\ncase, he decided to descend to earth one more time in order to be<\/span>
\nreborn as the son of his descendant12, the present king of Mithila, so<\/span>
\nthat he would become the one who would round off his family line<\/span>
\nwithout letting the tradition of asceticism break.<\/span>
\nHe was conceived in the womb of the chief queen of Mithila. At<\/span>
\nthe time of naming the infant, the king summoned his soothsayers<\/span>
\nto inspect the infant for auspicious signs. After examining, the<\/span>
\nsoothsayers declared that the infant prince would eventually become<\/span>
\nan ascetic and would be the one to round off the family line. The<\/span>
\nking was pleased. He named him Nimi-Kumara (Prince Hoop),<\/span>
\nmeaning \u201cthe Prince Who is the Wheel That Keeps Turning and<\/span>
\nRepeating its Cycles.\u201d<\/span>
\nUpon noticing his first gray hair, true to family tradition, Nimi\u2019s<\/span>
\nfather renounced the throne to become an ascetic and passed the<\/span>
\nkingdom to Nimi. As king, Nimi was righteous and without fault.<\/span>
\nHe ruled by example, giving alms, caring for the poor, and upholding<\/span>
\nmoral precepts. This was a time for peace and prosperity in the<\/span>
\nkingdom. King Nimi\u2019s reputation spread far and wide. His name<\/span>
\nwas synonymous with that of goodness. Indeed, he inspired his<\/span>
\nsubjects to lead such virtuous lives that upon death most of them<\/span>
\nreached the realms of heaven.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Almsgiving vs. Holy Life<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One day, after coming out of a deep meditation, King Nimi yearned<\/span>
\nto know the answer to one great question: which is more fruitful,<\/span>
\nthe holy life or faithful almsgiving? So strong was his desire to learn<\/span>
\nthe truth that Sakka, king of Tavatimsa Heaven, felt compelled to<\/span>
\ncome down in person to King Nimi\u2019s chamber and gave him the<\/span>
\nanswer. \u201cGood King Nimi,\u201d said Sakka, \u201cthe holy life, in which a<\/span>
\nman lives as an ascetic, is by far the more fruitful. By embracing the<\/span>
\nmeditative life of an ascetic, one can go to higher heavens and the<\/span>
\nBrahma\u2019s world, and sometimes beyond, to Nibbana. Nevertheless,<\/span>
\nalmsgiving is right and befits a great man and a king such as you.\u201d<\/span>
\nUpon his return to Tavatimsa Heaven, Sakka spoke of King Nimi\u2019s<\/span>
\ngoodness to the deities there. Many of the deities at Tavatimsa were<\/span>
\nformer subjects of Nimi, who, through his good example and teachings,<\/span>
\nwere able to attain heaven. They were overjoyed to hear of him<\/span>
\nand wished to see him again. They persuaded Sakka to bring him to<\/span>
\nTavatimsa so they could see him and listen to his discourse. Sakka<\/span>
\nconsented. He summoned Matali, his charioteer, to take the celestial<\/span>
\nchariot for a journey to earth to invite Nimi to visit his heaven.<\/span>
\nMatali guided the chariot to the eastern window of the palace,<\/span>
\nwhere King Nimi was seated. \u201cKing Nimi,\u201d said Matali, \u201cthe<\/span>
\ncelestial beings of Tavatimsa Heaven are well pleased with you and<\/span>
\nare longing to see you. I am sent by the King Sakka himself to<\/span>
\ninvite you and to escort you to his realm. Please come with me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Witnessing the Hell Realms<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

King Nimi accepted graciously. On the way to Tavatimsa Heaven,<\/span>
\nMatali asked if Nimi would like to tour the different realms<\/span>
\nof heaven and hell, and if so, which one he would like to be<\/span>
\nshown first. Nimi suggested that he be shown the realms of hell<\/span>
\nfirst as he knew he would eventually see the realms of heaven<\/span>
\nanyway.<\/span>
\nMatali plunged the chariot into the blackness of the various<\/span>
\nworlds of hell. Nimi shook and shuddered at the horrific sights<\/span>
\nof these hells where hell creatures were mercilessly punished and<\/span>
\ntortured. The sufferings of these hell creatures were so horrific<\/span>
\nthat it made Nimi weep. He cried out to Matali, \u201cWhat have these<\/span>
\ncreatures done to be cast into such fearsome places?\u201d Matali told<\/span>
\nNimi what wrongdoing each had done that lead them to each one<\/span>
\nof these hells and the punishment that befitted each offense. Some<\/span>
\nhells were for those who were mean and selfish, some for<\/span>
\ntormenting the weak, some for harming the virtuous, some for<\/span>
\nlying, some for cheating, some for stealing, some for slaying<\/span>
\nanimals, some for killing people, some for committing adultery,<\/span>
\nsome for acting and behaving according to wrong belief, some<\/span>
\nfor practicing false religions, and so on. Each hell was horrifying<\/span>
\nbeyond words. Nimi was deeply distraught by the sights he<\/span>
\nwitnessed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Visiting the Heavenly Realms<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the meantime, the celestial beings at Tavatimsa became anxious<\/span>
\nthat Nimi had taken too long to arrive. So Sakka sent a fast messenger<\/span>
\nto rush Matali there. Matali quickly rounded up the tour<\/span>
\nof the hell realms and turned the chariot heavenward. On the way<\/span>
\nto Tavatimsa Nimi saw several spectacular celestial mansions and<\/span>
\ncrystal palaces that sparkled like gems floating in the air. He also<\/span>
\nsaw magnificent gardens with beautiful trees and flowers. Heavenly<\/span>
\nfragrances and cool celestial music filled the air. Nimi caught sight<\/span>
\nof many celestial beings, all of them so beautiful, radiant and happy.<\/span>
\nEach heavenly abode seemed more beautiful than the last. Nimi<\/span>
\nwondered, what good deeds had these heavenly beings performed<\/span>
\nas humans to have gained such a happy, celestial state? Matali<\/span>
\nexplained, \u201cWhile human, some of these angels gave alms to the<\/span>
\nneedy, some gave shelter to ascetics, some gave food to holy men,<\/span>
\nsome practiced moral precepts, some observed abstinence during<\/span>
\nholy days, some provided parks and wells to the cities; all of them<\/span>
\nhave been kind and generous.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe carriage rose upward, past the seven celestial mountains<\/span>
\nsurrounding the great Mount Sumeru13, past the heaven of the Four<\/span>
\nGreat Kings (Catumaharajika14), until at last arriving at the gateway<\/span>
\nto Tavatimsa heaven. Matali pointed out the magnificent, eightsided<\/span>
\ncolumns made of rare gems that supported the palace and<\/span>
\nannounced to Nimi, \u201cThis is Tavatimsa, the heaven of the Thirtythree;<\/span>
\nhere the gods assemble, with their master Sakka. It is a most<\/span>
\nbeautiful and magnificent place.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

that Nimi had taken too long to arrive. So Sakka sent a fast messenger<\/span>
\nto rush Matali there. Matali quickly rounded up the tour<\/span>
\nof the hell realms and turned the chariot heavenward. On the way<\/span>
\nto Tavatimsa Nimi saw several spectacular celestial mansions and<\/span>
\ncrystal palaces that sparkled like gems floating in the air. He also<\/span>
\nsaw magnificent gardens with beautiful trees and flowers. Heavenly<\/span>
\nfragrances and cool celestial music filled the air. Nimi caught sight<\/span>
\nof many celestial beings, all of them so beautiful, radiant and happy.<\/span>
\nEach heavenly abode seemed more beautiful than the last. Nimi<\/span>
\nwondered, what good deeds had these heavenly beings performed<\/span>
\nas humans to have gained such a happy, celestial state? Matali<\/span>
\nexplained, \u201cWhile human, some of these angels gave alms to the<\/span>
\nneedy, some gave shelter to ascetics, some gave food to holy men,<\/span>
\nsome practiced moral precepts, some observed abstinence during<\/span>
\nholy days, some provided parks and wells to the cities; all of them<\/span>
\nhave been kind and generous.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe carriage rose upward, past the seven celestial mountains<\/span>
\nsurrounding the great Mount Sumeru13, past the heaven of the Four<\/span>
\nGreat Kings (Catumaharajika14), until at last arriving at the gateway<\/span>
\nto Tavatimsa heaven. Matali pointed out the magnificent, eightsided<\/span>
\ncolumns made of rare gems that supported the palace and<\/span>
\nannounced to Nimi, \u201cThis is Tavatimsa, the heaven of the Thirtythree;<\/span>
\nhere the gods assemble, with their master Sakka. It is a most<\/span>
\nbeautiful and magnificent place.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe celestial beings came happily to greet Nimi. Sakka invited him<\/span>
\nto stay in his heaven but Nimi politely declined, explaining that<\/span>
\nhe still had to complete certain worldly duties and that his people<\/span>
\nneeded him. For seven days Nimi charmed the company of heaven<\/span>
\nwith his discourse. Nimi was profoundly impressed with all the<\/span>
\nbeauty and magnificence of life in the heavens. Finally, the time had<\/span>
\ncome for him to depart.<\/span>
\nOnce again, the chariot was prepared and Matali was summoned to<\/span>
\ntake Nimi home. Nimi bade a friendly farewell to all of them and<\/span>
\nbegan his journey back to Mithila.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Do Good, Avoid Bad<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Upon his arrival back to earth, his subjects spotted their celestial<\/span>
\nchariot which came ablaze with brightness from the sky. They were<\/span>
\noverjoyed to see their king after having been gone for a long time.<\/span>
\nThey surrounded him and anxiously waited to hear of his adventure.<\/span>
\nNimi told them of the wonders he had seen and of the magnificent<\/span>
\nexistence of all who dwell in heaven. He also told them the horrors<\/span>
\nhe had witnessed in the underworld. He gave them the following<\/span>
\ninsight:<\/span>
\n\u201cEvery action that you do brings about retribution, pleasant and<\/span>
\nunpleasant.<\/span>
\nMerit, the fruit of good deeds, and demerit, the fruit of bad deeds,<\/span>
\ndo exist and are real.<\/span>
\nDo good, be charitable, have a kind heart; one day you will be<\/span>
\nreborn into such a wonderful place of heaven.<\/span>
\nBeware of evildoing, for I have seen in the worlds of hell more<\/span>
\nsuffering and torture than my tongue can describe.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe people of Mithila expressed their gratitude for Nimi\u2019s advice<\/span>
\nand promised to do good and avoid evil.<\/span>
\nYears later, when the king\u2019s barber showed Nimi his first gray hair,<\/span>
\nNimi knew it was time to give his kingdom to his son. From then on,<\/span>
\nhe lived as an ascetic in a mango grove at Mithila. Upon his death he<\/span>
\nwas, again, reborn in the Brahman realm, surpassing Sakka\u2019s heaven<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus, Nimi, the Bodhisatta, rounded off King Makhadeva\u2019s line.<\/span>
\nAnd with the death of his son, he ended the cycle in the 84,000th<\/span>
\ngeneration<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”05 Mahosadha Jataka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF WISDOM” el_id=”1491827055452-51549f83-2f85″]\u00a0Mahosatha Jataka is the story of the Bodhisatta who applied wisdom in everything<\/span>
\nhe did. His great wisdom did not result from luck or from a miraculous gift, but was<\/span>
\ndue to his having pursued the Virtue of Wisdom for many lifetimes.<\/span>
\nThrough the power of his wisdom the Bodhisatta was able to solve difficult problems,<\/span>
\nsettle disputes for others, outsmart his enemies, and defend his state from invading<\/span>
\narmies. In the process, he managed to win the love and respect of everyone including<\/span>
\nhis enemies, and brought peace and prosperity to the entire continent.<\/span>
\nThis story teaches us that wisdom is indeed more important than wealth and power,<\/span>
\nthat the wise always studies ahead and prepares ahead, that gratitude is a virtue of the<\/span>
\nwise, and that wealth gained through immoral means leads to eventual misfortune.<\/span>
\nIt is beneficial for us to employ wisdom in everything we do. We gain wisdom<\/span>
\nby associating with the wise and avoid ignorance by staying away from fools –<\/span>
\nthose who are morally underdeveloped.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Kingdom of Vedeha<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In a land that was great and vast and abundant with produce and<\/span>
\ngrains, laid the great kingdom of Vedeha. This was a region populated<\/span>
\nwith a large number of people and merchants who came from<\/span>
\nsurrounding states to engage in trade. Its capital city was called<\/span>
\nMithila. Mithila was a wealthy city teeming with people. Its houses,<\/span>
\nbuildings and palaces were as beautiful and grand as those in the<\/span>
\ncelestial realm.<\/span>
\nThe ruling monarch of this kingdom was King Vedeha. He was<\/span>
\nrevered by his people. In his court were four royal sages who advised<\/span>
\nhim in the affairs of the land. The most senior of these sages was<\/span>
\nVenaka. From the time the king ascended the throne, the kingdom<\/span>
\nof Vedeha had been peaceful and prosperous. Its virtues were well<\/span>
\nknown throughout the land.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Fantastic Dream<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At dawn one morning, the king woke up from a fantastic dream.<\/span>
\nIn his dream he saw the four corners of his royal courtyard ablaze<\/span>
\nwith fire that rose as high as the city walls. Amidst the four fireballs<\/span>
\nemerged a fifth fire. At first it appeared as little as a firefly, then grew<\/span>
\nin height and glory until it consumed all the other four fireballs. Its<\/span>
\nbrightness pervaded the whole universe and spread all the way to the<\/span>
\nBrahma world. Yet this great fireball gave a cool, soothing light, and<\/span>
\nmultitudes of people passed through it without harm. They brought<\/span>
\ngarlands and fragrant blooms to pay homage to the huge fireball.<\/span>
\nFrightened by this dream, the king summoned his four sages to interpret<\/span>
\nthe meaning of it. The four sages considered the content of<\/span>
\nthe dream, then checked the astrology of the king and the fortune of<\/span>
\nthe city. After having done so, Senaka, the chief advisor, said to the<\/span>
\nking, \u201cFear not, Your Majesty. The dream is indeed a good omen.<\/span>
\nThere is no harm that will come to you and your kingdom.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king implored anxiously, \u201cCheck again carefully and explain to<\/span>
\nme in detail why such a horrific dream is a good omen.\u201d<\/span>
\nSenaka and the other three, after checking again carefully according<\/span>
\nto their training of the art of prediction, turned to the king and said,<\/span>
\n\u201cIndeed, Your Majesty, this is a good omen. It is signifying that not<\/span>
\ntoo far in the future there will be a sage blessed with great wisdom<\/span>
\nfar wiser than the four of us. He will come into Your Majesty\u2019s services<\/span>
\nin his youth. Once he is here he will be widely respected by the<\/span>
\nmasses. His wisdom and glory will be incomparable.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter hearing this revelation, the king\u2019s heart was filled with joy.<\/span>
\nFrom that time on, he often spoke of the coming of this new sage<\/span>
\nwith anticipation.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Genius is Born<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At the four gates of Mithila there were four market towns, and in<\/span>
\nthe East Market town there dwelt a rich man named Sirivaddhaka<\/span>
\nand his wife, Lady Sumana.<\/span>
\nIndeed, on the same day of the king\u2019s dream, the Bodhisatta was<\/span>
\nconceived in the womb of Lady Sumana. In his hand he clasped<\/span>
\na medicinal herb15 which, when ground, could cure all kinds of<\/span>
\nillnesses. The medicinal herb had caused a painless birth for his<\/span>
\nmother and cured his father\u2019s chronic headache which had lasted for<\/span>
\nseven years. The story of this magical herb went far and wide. People<\/span>
\nwith sicknesses came from all places looking to be cured by this<\/span>
\nmagical herb, and indeed all of them were cured. His father named<\/span>
\nhim Mahosatha, which meant \u201cOne Who Possesses a Medicine<\/span>
\nThat Benefits All Men.\u201d<\/span>
\nSirivaddhaka perceived that his son must have been a blessed being<\/span>
\nto have been born with such virtuous power. According to tradition,<\/span>
\nsomeone so blessed would not come into being alone, but would be<\/span>
\naccompanied by a retinue of attendants. So he had his people search<\/span>
\naround to find out whether there were any infants born on the same<\/span>
\nday as his child. Indeed, his people reported that there were a total<\/span>
\nof one thousand infant boys born to wealthy families on the same<\/span>
\nday. Well pleased, Sirivaddhaka sent gifts and other amenities to<\/span>
\nthese families and saw to it that they grew up with good health.<\/span>
\nThese boys became Mahosatha\u2019s playmates and loyal friends until<\/span>
\ntheir adult days.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Pavilion<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mahosatha\u2019s wisdom grew as he got older. At age seven16, he saw<\/span>
\nthat the area he and his friends were playing in and where the travelers<\/span>
\nwere passing through was often disturbed by wild animals and<\/span>
\nexposed to rain and harsh sun. He proposed to his friends that they<\/span>
\nshould build a pavilion to provide resting areas and shelters for the<\/span>
\npeople and part of it to be used as playgrounds. His friends agreed<\/span>
\nwith the idea. They also agreed to each come up with one thousand<\/span>
\ngold pieces to build the facility; any shortages would be made up<\/span>
\nby Mahosatha. All of their parents supported their idea and helped<\/span>
\ncome up with their shares accordingly.<\/span>
\nMahosatha hired a contractor and his crew to construct the building<\/span>
\nbut ended up having to supervise the project himself as the crew<\/span>
\nfailed to do it in the right way. The pavilion and its various buildings<\/span>
\nthat Mahosatha designed and supervised were remarkable. The<\/span>
\nbuilding was a multi-purpose facility that served to provide shelters<\/span>
\nfor travelers, merchants, holy men and needy people. It also served as<\/span>
\na venue for community meetings and religious assemblies, a court of<\/span>
\njustice, and a sporting area. It was surrounded by beautiful gardens,<\/span>
\nponds and streams. And near this pavilion he established a public<\/span>
\nplace for the distribution of alms to holy men and needy people.<\/span>
\nThe pavilion became a popular resting place for travelers and merchants<\/span>
\nand a good meeting place for the people. Crowds gathered<\/span>
\nthere daily to participate in Dhamma discussions and other civic<\/span>
\nactivities.<\/span>
\nEven at this young age, Mahosatha\u2019s wits and wisdom were so well<\/span>
\nknown that people came to him for advice on both spiritual and<\/span>
\nmundane matters, and also to present their cases of dispute to him<\/span>
\nfor judgment.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Go Find That Young Sage<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Back at the city of Mithila, for seven years King Vedeha remembered<\/span>
\nhow the four sages had said that a fifth sage would be born, who<\/span>
\nwould surpass them in wisdom. \u201cWhere is he now?\u201d he wondered,<\/span>
\n\u201cIt\u2019s time I send someone out to look for him.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe sent out his ministers by the four gates of the city, ordering them<\/span>
\nto find the young sage. When they went out by the first three gates<\/span>
\nthey saw no sign of the Bodhisatta, but when they went out by the<\/span>
\nfourth gate they came upon the pavilion and its various buildings,<\/span>
\nthey knew at once that only someone with a superior intellect could<\/span>
\nhave built such a remarkable place. After inquiring, they found<\/span>
\nout that this place was conceived of and built at the direction of a<\/span>
\nseven-year-old genius by the name of Mahosatha, son of the wealthy<\/span>
\nmerchant of Mithila. They reported their findings to the king.<\/span>
\nThe king was elated. He consulted Senaka, his chief adviser,<\/span>
\nwhether he should send for the boy to his court.<\/span>
\nVenaka, remembering his own prediction of the king\u2019s dream, knew<\/span>
\nthat the presence of the boy would do him and the other three sages<\/span>
\nno good as their glory would be dimmed by the boy\u2019s. So he plotted<\/span>
\nto delay the king\u2019s actions in every way he could. He told the king<\/span>
\nthat the task of building a nice pavilion was not something special<\/span>
\nand did not require someone with extraordinary wisdom to do it.<\/span>
\nHe suggested that the king should send his ministers to observe<\/span>
\nMahosatha\u2019s behavior and report their findings back to him on a<\/span>
\nregular basis.<\/span><\/p>\n

Following Senaka\u2019s advice, the king sent three ministers out to<\/span>
\nsecretly observe Mahosatha. Through their observations they<\/span>
\nwitnessed Mahosatha\u2019s various activities that exhibited his unusual<\/span>
\nintelligence and wisdom. The following are a few examples:<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An Ox Thief<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A man purchased an ox in a neighboring village and was walking it<\/span>
\nback home when he became tired and fell asleep. As he was sleeping,<\/span>
\nhe allowed the ox to graze. Another man saw the opportunity to<\/span>
\nsteal this ox and he walked away with it. The owner woke up, saw<\/span>
\nthe thief in the distance with his ox and chased after him. When<\/span>
\nhe caught up, the thief refused to let go of the ox claiming that it<\/span>
\nbelonged to him. The two men wrangled until they came upon the<\/span>
\nlocation of the pavilion.<\/span>
\nA great crowd collected after hearing the dispute. When Mahosatha<\/span>
\nheard the noise, he sent for them both. Each man accused the other<\/span>
\nof being a thief. Mahosatha offered to settle the dispute if they<\/span>
\nwould abide by his verdict. They agreed to do so.<\/span>
\nWhen he saw their behavior he knew right away which one was the<\/span>
\nthief and which one was the real owner, but thought to himself that<\/span>
\nhe needed to show how he reached his conclusion so that his verdict<\/span>
\nwould be accepted by the crowd.<\/span>
\nHe asked both men how they took possession of the ox, what they<\/span>
\nfed the ox with, and what they gave the ox to drink.<\/span>
\nThe thief replied, \u201cThis ox was born in my home. I fed him with<\/span>
\nsesame flour and kidney beans and let him drink rice gruel.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he asked the same question to the real owner, who said,<\/span>
\n\u201cI purchased this ox from another town. I fed him on grass.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

So Mahosatha let the people bring the food that the thief described<\/span>
\nand also the grass. The ox refused to eat the other food, only the<\/span>
\ngrass. With this finding, the thief had no choice but to confess to<\/span>
\nhis crime. The crowd was angry at the thief and started to beat him.<\/span>
\nMahosatha stopped them from beating the thief and gave the thief<\/span>
\na moral lesson:<\/span>
\n\u201cYour misdeed not only will bring misfortune to you in this present<\/span>
\nlife, but in the future life you will suffer great torment in the various<\/span>
\nhells. Therefore, from now on, you must abandon such practices.<\/span>
\nThere are five basic offenses that a decent man should not engage in:<\/span>
\nkilling, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication. These<\/span>
\nare called the Five Precepts. They are the basics of human<\/span>
\nquality. Do good, avoid bad. Live a virtuous life and you will<\/span>
\nfind peace and happiness.\u201d The thief repented. From then on, he<\/span>
\nwent about his life in an honest way.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Mother and the Baby<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After travelling a long journey, a woman with a newborn baby went<\/span>
\nto rest at Mahosatha\u2019s pavilion. She went to the stream to wash her<\/span>
\nbaby. After she finished washing the baby, she placed the baby on<\/span>
\nthe bank. A yakkhinee (ogress with supernatural power) saw the<\/span>
\nbaby and desired to eat him. The yakkhinee transformed itself into<\/span>
\nthe shape of a young woman and came to befriend the mother of the<\/span>
\nbaby. She talked the mother into letting her hold the baby, then ran<\/span>
\noff with him. The mother ran after her and seized her.<\/span>
\nAs they wrangled they passed by the door of the pavilion. Mahosatha<\/span>
\nheard the commotion and asked them what the argument was<\/span>
\nabout. Each of the women declared that the baby belonged to her.<\/span>
\nWhen he heard their story, he asked them whether they would let<\/span>
\nhim be the judge and that they would abide by his verdict. On their<\/span>
\npromising to do so, he drew a line on the ground and placed the<\/span>
\nbaby in the middle of the line, feet on one side of the line and hands<\/span>
\non the other side. Then he said to them, \u201cGrab hold of the baby and<\/span>
\npull. The child is yours who can pull him over the line.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe two women pulled hard causing the baby to cry in pain.<\/span>
\nThe mother\u2019s heart was torn apart each time the baby cried. She<\/span>
\ncould no longer stand the baby\u2019s suffering and decided to let go of<\/span>
\nhim. She stood there and wept pitifully.<\/span>
\nMahosatha turned to the crowd and asked, \u201cIs it the heart of the<\/span>
\nmother which is tender towards the child, or the heart of her who<\/span>
\nis not the mother?\u201d They answered, \u201cThe mother\u2019s heart.\u201d \u201cIs she<\/span>
\nthe mother who kept hold of the child or she who let it go?\u201d They<\/span>
\nreplied, \u201cShe who let it go.\u201d The crowd pointed to the woman who<\/span>
\nlet go of the baby and declared, \u201cShe is the real mother.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mahosatha noticed the other woman looked less than human, for<\/span>
\nher eyes were red and did not blink, and she cast no shadows. After<\/span>
\nhis questioning, the woman confessed that she was indeed a yakkhinee<\/span>
\ndisguised as a woman.<\/span>
\nMahosatha gave her a lesson:<\/span>
\n\u201cHow foolish you are. Don\u2019t you realize that the reason you were<\/span>
\nborn a non-human was because of your bad kamma? If you continue<\/span>
\nto commit more evil deeds you will suffer worse retribution<\/span>
\nand be reborn in a more miserable state.<\/span>
\nTo overcome your bad kamma you must do more good deeds and<\/span>
\navoid the bad ones. You must no longer kill, or steal, or lie, or cause<\/span>
\nharm to anyone. By doing good deeds regularly you will have a<\/span>
\nbetter rebirth in your next life.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe yakkhinee reflected on Mahosatha\u2019s words and realized that<\/span>
\neverything he said was true. She began to feel remorse and shame.<\/span>
\nThen she said, \u201cI want to free myself from this unfortunate<\/span>
\ncondition. From now on, I will heed your advice, uphold the moral<\/span>
\nprecepts and redeem myself.\u201d And she solemnly walked away.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An Ugly Man with a Beautiful Wife<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A short and ugly man fell in love with a beautiful girl. His passion<\/span>
\nfor the girl was so great that he was willing to labor hard for her<\/span>
\nfather in order to win her love. He served her father diligently for<\/span>
\nseven full years. The father was impressed with the man\u2019s dedication<\/span>
\nand agreed to give his daughter to him as his wife. The girl, however,<\/span>
\nfound it hard to love someone so ugly.<\/span>
\nOne day the man planned to visit his parents in a nearby village<\/span>
\nwith his wife. He asked his wife to cook him some sweetmeats and<\/span>
\nother food to take on their trip. After having taken some provisions<\/span>
\nand a present, he set out on a journey with her. On the way to<\/span>
\ntheir destination, they came upon a river but were afraid to cross it<\/span>
\nbecause neither of them could swim.<\/span>
\nAnother man was walking along the bank and came upon them.<\/span>
\nThe husband asked the man whether the river was deep. The man,<\/span>
\ndishonest by nature, said that the river was deep and dangerous and<\/span>
\nfull of crocodiles, but that he knew his way around and was an<\/span>
\nexpert at crossing it. The husband asked if the man would agree to<\/span>
\ncarry them across in exchange for some food. The man agreed. After<\/span>
\neating the food, the man asked who he should carry first, and the<\/span>
\nhusband said to carry his wife first.<\/span>
\nThe man carried the wife, who took the food with her, on his<\/span>
\nshoulder and went into the river. Having bodily contact with such<\/span>
\na beautiful woman he immediately felt a desire for her and began to<\/span>
\ncourt her. The woman easily gave in to the man. She agreed to go<\/span>
\nwith him and leave her husband behind. A little way into the river<\/span>
\nthe man crouched down and pretended to sink deep into the water<\/span><\/p>\n

as if the water was very deep to scare off the husband so he would<\/span>
\nnot dare follow them. After they reached the opposite bank they lay<\/span>
\ndown on the bank, ate the food, and courted each other.<\/span>
\nSeeing what had happened, the husband was beside himself. He<\/span>
\nran forward and backward on the bank like a mad man, running<\/span>
\na little into the water and drawing back again in fear. Then, in his<\/span>
\ndesperation, he thought, \u201cI have given up my life and worked hard<\/span>
\nfor seven years to gain this woman. I am not about to lose her this<\/span>
\neasily. What good is my life without her? I would rather die than<\/span>
\naccept such disgrace.\u201d So he made a desperate leap into the water.<\/span>
\nOnce there, he found out how shallow the water was. So he crossed<\/span>
\nit and hurried after them. He finally caught up with them near<\/span>
\nMahosatha\u2019s pavilion. The two men fought and struggled while the<\/span>
\nwoman looked on.<\/span>
\nA great crowd gathered. Mahosatha heard the commotion and asked<\/span>
\nthem what happened. Each man claimed he was the husband of the<\/span>
\nwoman. Mahosatha offered to settle their case for them. He asked<\/span>
\nif they would abide by his decision once the judgment was made.<\/span>
\nThey all agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

More Tests<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mahosatha spoke to each of them privately. He asked for their<\/span>
\nnames, the names of their parents, and the names of their in-laws.<\/span>
\nHe asked the stranger what the name of the woman was. Since<\/span>
\nthe man never found out the name of the woman, he made up a<\/span>
\nrandom name. The same thing happened to the woman. Since she<\/span>
\nnever found out the name of the other man, she made up his name.<\/span>
\nTheir statements were clearly contradictory.<\/span>
\nThen Mahosatha asked the husband the same questions, and<\/span>
\nthe husband was able to answer the correct names of the woman,<\/span>
\nher parents, and everyone else. Thus, it was clear who the real<\/span>
\nhusband was.<\/span>
\nThe crowd was furious at the dishonest man and wanted to punish<\/span>
\nhim. Mahosatha did not let this happen, but instead taught the<\/span>
\nman some lessons about ethics and virtues. The man repented and<\/span>
\npromised not to do wrong again.<\/span>
\nThe husband was very happy with the final outcome. He expressed<\/span>
\nsincere thanks and gratitude to the Bodhisatta. His wife realized<\/span>
\nwhat she had done wrong and apologized to the husband. Thus, the<\/span>
\nman regained his wife and the wife learned a lesson about virtue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stories like these, plus many more, which demonstrated Mahosatha\u2019s<\/span>
\nextraordinary intelligence, were noted by the ministers and<\/span>
\nreported back to the king. The king had no doubt in his mind that<\/span>
\nMahosatha was the sage that was foretold in his dream. He told<\/span>
\nSenaka that it was time to invite Mahosatha into his court.<\/span>
\nAgain, due to jealousy, Venaka discouraged the king from doing<\/span>
\nso stating that these examples were not enough to use as a norm to<\/span>
\nmeasure someone\u2019s wisdom, and that a man\u2019s true wisdom must be<\/span>
\nproven by his accomplishments. He suggested to the king that he<\/span>
\ncome up with various trials and riddles for Mahosatha to solve. The<\/span>
\nking agreed. He sent a messenger to Mahosatha\u2019s East Market town<\/span>
\nand ordered the people there to solve one puzzle after another, and<\/span>
\nthreatened to impose a big fine should they fail to solve each of these<\/span>
\npuzzles.<\/span>
\nThe following are some examples of the puzzles presented by<\/span>
\nthe king:<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Which End is Up<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The king ordered a stem of arcadia wood to be cut into a short stick,<\/span>
\nfully rounded and polished so that it looked even, smooth and equal<\/span>
\nat both ends, and then sent the short stick to the East Market town<\/span>
\nwith a message: \u201cThe people of the East Market town are known for<\/span>
\ntheir wisdom. Tell us which end of this stick is the top and which<\/span>
\nend is the root. Failure to give the right answer will result in a fine<\/span>
\nof one thousand gold pieces.\u201d<\/span>
\nNo one in the town could tell the difference between which end<\/span>
\nwas the top and which end was the root. The head of the townsfolk<\/span>
\nsuggested that they take the problem to Mahosatha.<\/span>
\nMahosatha looked at the stick and hinted to the people that a tree<\/span>
\ngrew from the bottom up, so the bottom section would have been<\/span>
\ndenser and heavier than the upper section. He asked for a large bowl<\/span>
\nof water and placed the stick onto the water. One end of the stick<\/span>
\nsank deeper than the other end. With this demonstration, it was<\/span>
\nclear which end was the bottom and which end was the top. The<\/span>
\npeople declared, \u201cThe end that sinks deeper is the bottom and the<\/span>
\nother end that floats higher is the top.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe answer was then brought to the king, who was impressed with<\/span>
\ntheir quick solution. When he found out who was behind this clever<\/span>
\nanswer he was delighted.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Bull with Horns on His Legs<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The king sent a message to the East Market town and presented the<\/span>
\npeople there with another puzzle: \u201cSend us a white bull with horns<\/span>
\non his legs, and a hump on the head, which utters his voice three<\/span>
\ntimes each day unfailingly. Otherwise you must pay a fine of one<\/span>
\nthousand gold pieces.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe townsfolk were perplexed with this silly request. A man<\/span>
\nexclaimed, \u201cHow on earth do we find such a strange animal?<\/span>
\nIt does not exist.\u201d Another man said, \u201cLet us bring this problem to<\/span>
\nMahosatha, our genius. If he cannot solve it, no one else can.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter hearing the puzzle Mahosatha said to them, \u201cThere is no such<\/span>
\nanimal. The king means for you to send him a white rooster. This<\/span>
\ncreature has horns on his feet, the spurs; a hump on his head, the<\/span>
\ncrest; and utters his voice, crows, three times each day unfailingly.<\/span>
\nThen send him a white rooster such as he described.\u201d So they sent<\/span>
\nthe king a white rooster.<\/span>
\nAgain, the king was duly impressed when he found out Mahosatha<\/span>
\nwas the one behind the solution.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let the Ants Solve the Problem<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The king had a precious gem that was passed on to him from his<\/span>
\nforefathers. The gem was octagonal. In the center was a tiny hole<\/span>
\nwith twisting grooves. Inside the hole was a broken thread that no<\/span>
\none could remove to put in a new thread.<\/span>
\nThe king sent this gem to the people of the East Market and told<\/span>
\nthem to take out the old thread and to put in a new one. Failure to<\/span>
\naccomplish this would subject them to a fine of one thousand gold<\/span>
\npieces.<\/span>
\nThe towns people tried every which way to remove the old thread<\/span>
\nbut were unable to do so because the thread was rotten and trapped<\/span>
\ninside the twisted hole. Before they lost their hope someone suggested<\/span>
\nthat the problem be brought to their resident genius, Mahosatha.<\/span>
\nMahosatha inspected the gem, then asked for some honey.<\/span>
\nHe smeared the honey on both ends of the hole, and a little of it at<\/span>
\nthe tip of the new thread and placed the end of the new thread as<\/span>
\nfar as it could go inside the hole. Then he placed the gem in a place<\/span>
\nwhere tiny red ants were passing. Attracted by the honey the red<\/span>
\nants ate away the rotten thread, then pulled the honey-smeared end<\/span>
\nof the thread through the hole. Mahosatha tied knots on both ends<\/span>
\nof the thread and had the gem brought to the king.<\/span>
\nThe king was astonished at what he saw. He asked the people who<\/span>
\ncame up with such a quick solution. They told him it was their<\/span>
\nyoung genius, Mahosatha. The king uttered, \u201cOh, Mahosatha, you<\/span>
\nare indeed a sage!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Pregnant Bull<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Next, the king had a bull fed until its stomach became as big as<\/span>
\na pregnant cow. He had his horns polished and his body painted<\/span>
\nyellow, turning him into a strange-looking creature. It was difficult<\/span>
\nto tell whether it was a bull or a cow. Then he sent the bull to the<\/span>
\nEast Market town and ordered the people to tend to this \u201cpregnant\u201d<\/span>
\nbull until it gave birth to a calf. Failing to do so would cost them one<\/span>
\nthousand gold pieces. The people knew full well that the animal was<\/span>
\na bull and that it was impossible to make him give birth to a calf.<\/span>
\nAgain, the townsfolk turned to Mahosatha and asked him for help.<\/span>
\nThis time Mahosatha knew that the problem could not be solved<\/span>
\nusing a practical method. The only way to deal with this problem<\/span>
\nwas to come up with a scheme to outsmart the king.<\/span>
\nHe asked for someone courageous to volunteer for a difficult task.<\/span>
\nA tough-looking man volunteered. Mahosatha coached the<\/span>
\nman thoroughly on what to do and then sent him to the king\u2019s<\/span>
\ncourt. Once arriving at the king\u2019s court, the man made a big<\/span>
\ncommotion. He cried and wailed so loudly that his voice<\/span>
\nirritated the king. So the king sent for him and asked why he<\/span>
\nwas wailing so loudly. The man, his face full of anguish,<\/span>
\nlamented that his father was suffering with great pain trying to<\/span>
\ngive birth to a baby but was not able to deliver.<\/span>
\nThe king laughed out loud, \u201cHow can a man give birth to a baby?<\/span>
\nYou must be insane!\u201d The man looked at the king with a sad face<\/span>
\nand said, \u201cIf a man cannot give birth to a baby, then how can a bull\u00a0give birth to a calf?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

The king stopped laughing suddenly, looked<\/span>
\nat the man, and asked, \u201cAre you from the East Market town?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe man said yes. The king realized he had been outsmarted.<\/span>
\nAt first he was angry at the man\u2019s trick, but after finding out who<\/span>
\nwas behind it, he exclaimed, \u201cOh, it is my little genius again,<\/span>
\nMahosatha!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Ultimate Sage<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Over the course of time, many more trials and riddles were put<\/span>
\nupon Mahosatha. Each of the four sages tried to come up with<\/span>
\ndifficult problems designed to prevent Mahosatha from reaching<\/span>
\nthe king\u2019s presence. However, one after another, the boy was able to<\/span>
\nsolve whatever was set before him with great cleverness.<\/span>
\nFinally, the king decided this was enough. He stopped listening to<\/span>
\nthe four sages\u2019 oppositions and sent an invitation to Mahosatha<\/span>
\nand his father, Sirivaddhaka, to meet him in his throne hall. When<\/span>
\nthere he asked Sirivaddhaka\u2019s permission to let Mahosatha stay at his<\/span>
\ncourt and become his royal sage. He promised to treat Mahosatha<\/span>
\nas if he was his own son. Mahosatha\u2019s father consented to the king\u2019s<\/span>
\nrequest. So, Mahosatha, the Bodhisatta, was formally appointed by<\/span>
\nthe king as his Royal Sage.<\/span>
\nSenaka and his three sages were unhappy at what had transpired<\/span>
\nbut knew that they could no longer do anything about it. The only<\/span>
\nthing for them to do was bide their time and wait for the right<\/span>
\nopportunity to take action. They plotted and schemed quietly.<\/span>
\nOver time, Mahosatha became the favorite to both the king and his<\/span>
\nqueen. They both treated him as if he were their own son. For many<\/span>
\nyears Mahosatha advised the king in all matters both spiritual and<\/span>
\ncivic. At the same time, he had to be on guard constantly against the<\/span>
\ndevious tricks of the other four sages.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Wisdom vs. Wealth<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One day, when Mahosatha and the four wise men had come to wait<\/span>
\nupon the king, he asked them, \u201cWhich is better: a wise man without<\/span>
\nwealth, or wealthy man without wisdom?\u201d<\/span>
\nSenaka replied at once: \u201cO King, wealth is certainly better than<\/span>
\nwisdom. A wise man is useless without money. He will end up<\/span>
\nworking for a wealthy man. A rich man without wisdom can always<\/span>
\nhire a wise man to advise him. There is no question, money is more<\/span>
\nimportant than wisdom. A fool with money is better than a wise<\/span>
\nwithout money.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king listened to this answer, then turned to Mahosatha and<\/span>
\nasked the same question.<\/span>
\nMahosatha replied:<\/span>
\n\u201cA man without wisdom is ignorant of the truth of life. He looks<\/span>
\nat this world and not at the next, and he commits sinful acts.<\/span>
\nThe wise, although not wealthy in the material sense, is rich in<\/span>
\nthe spiritual sense, for he knows that this life is not the end of his<\/span>
\nexistence.<\/span>
\nThe wise knows that spiritual wealth is more lasting than material<\/span>
\nwealth, and he prepares himself for the future. He will stay clear<\/span>
\nfrom actions that cause him to suffer in the afterlife.<\/span>
\nTherefore, it is better to be a wise man without wealth than a wealthy<\/span>
\nman without wisdom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Senaka said, \u201cYour majesty, Mahosatha is only a child. What can he<\/span>
\nknow about the truths of life?\u201d<\/span>
\nThen, he continued his argument.<\/span>
\n\u201cIn the forest, birds gather from all directions to the tree which has<\/span>
\nsweet fruit. In the world of men, crowds flock to the rich man who<\/span>
\nhas treasure and wealth.<\/span>
\nEven if one is with great wisdom, but without rice or grain or<\/span>
\nmoney, his word has no weight amongst his kinfolk. Prosperity does<\/span>
\nnot come to a man for his knowledge.\u201d<\/span>
\nA wealthy man in high position may lack knowledge or good<\/span>
\ndemeanor, but if he says anything to others, his word has weight<\/span>
\namongst his kinsfolk. Wisdom is useless without wealth.<\/span>
\nElephants, horses, jewels, women, and servants are found in rich<\/span>
\nfamilies. These are for the enjoyment of the rich man.<\/span>
\nAll the various streams pour themselves into the Ganges; they lose<\/span>
\ntheir names and kind. The Ganges falling into the sea is no longer<\/span>
\nto be distinguished. The world is devoted to wealth.<\/span>
\nAs you see, my Lord, we are five wise men all waiting upon you<\/span>
\nwith gestures of respect; and you are our lord and master. This is the<\/span>
\nliving proof that wisdom is inferior, wealth is superior.\u201d<\/span>
\nFor which, Mahosatha responded:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a fool receives his wealth, he is carried away by his good fortune.<\/span>
\nHe exposes himself to temptations. Wealth without wisdom<\/span>
\ncan cause one to misstep into the wrong path leading to disaster.<\/span>
\nWhen struck by misfortune he becomes stupefied and helpless.<\/span>
\nLacking wisdom, a fool gains his wealth through immoral means.<\/span>
\nUpon death, he pays for it in hell.<\/span>
\nNo matter how mighty, the ocean that keeps beating the shore can<\/span>
\nnever pass over it. So is the boasting of the wealthy fool; his prosperity<\/span>
\ncannot surpass the wise.<\/span>
\nA rich man who speaks without wisdom, his words bring shame<\/span>
\namongst his company.<\/span>
\nA poor man who speaks with wisdom, his words bring honor and<\/span>
\nrespect amongst his company.<\/span>
\nThe wealthy fool, who does thoughtless acts and speaks foolish<\/span>
\nwords, is devoid of a happy afterlife.<\/span>
\nThe wealthy fool who cannot act on his own, who is dependent on<\/span>
\nthe advice of the wise, is enslaved to the wise.\u201d<\/span>
\nWith these words from the Bodhisatta, Senaka became quiet,<\/span>
\nhis face looking down. The king was profoundly impressed with<\/span>
\nMahosatha\u2019s answers.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Find Him a Wife<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When Mahosatha turned sixteen, Queen Udumbara said to<\/span>
\nthe king that it was time they found him a wife. The king agreed<\/span>
\nand she told Mahosatha so. Mahosatha said to the queen \u201cGive me<\/span>
\na few days, and I will go seek a wife that will suit my taste.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cDo so, my young brother,\u201d the queen replied.<\/span>
\nHe took leave of the queen and went to his house. Disguised as<\/span>
\na tailor, he went out by the northern gate and headed toward the<\/span>
\nNorth Town. On the way, he came upon a beautiful girl who was<\/span>
\ncarrying rice gruel to her father who was working in the field nearby.<\/span>
\nWhen Mahosatha saw her coming near he thought, \u201cSuch a graceful<\/span>
\nlady; if she is unwed, I sure would like to marry her.\u201d The girl saw<\/span>
\nMahosatha and thought, \u201cSuch a handsome man, if I marry him<\/span>
\nI would restore my family.\u201d<\/span>
\nThey introduced themselves to each other and began a friendly<\/span>
\nconversation. She told him her name was Amara. Judging from<\/span>
\nher refinement and grace, Mahosatha assumed that she must have<\/span>
\ncome from a well-to-do family that might have fallen into difficult<\/span>
\ntimes. During their conversation they observed each other\u2019s intellect<\/span>
\nand demeanor, and were impressed by each other. Mahosatha asked<\/span>
\nher permission to visit her home. She gladly gave him the directions<\/span>
\nto it.<\/span>
\nWhen he got to her house, Mahosatha met with Amara\u2019s mother,<\/span>
\nwho invited him to come in and also offered him some rice<\/span>
\ngruel. He saw the inside of the house and noticed how poor<\/span>
\nher family was. He told her he was a tailor and offered to<\/span>
\nmend her old clothes. The woman said she had nothing to pay<\/span>
\nhim with, butMahosatha said she did not have to pay him anything. She brought<\/span>
\nhim some old clothes and Mahosatha mended them with the skills<\/span>
\nof a master tailor. He asked the woman to announce to the villagers<\/span>
\nthat a skilled tailor has come to town and to bring their clothes for<\/span>
\nhim to fix. Many villagers quickly became his customers. Within<\/span>
\na short time Mahosatha earned himself a good sum of money for<\/span>
\nhis services.<\/span>
\nAmara\u2019s parents invited Mahosatha to stay at their house, which he<\/span>
\naccepted. During this time Mahosatha tested Amara for her intelligence<\/span>
\nand her morality. At times he purposely treated her rudely to<\/span>
\nfind out how she would react, but she responded only with kindness<\/span>
\nand never showed resentment. She recognized that there were four<\/span>
\ntypes of wives worthy of a husband\u2019s love; namely:<\/span>
\nA wife like a mother: Such a wife is loving and compassionate. She<\/span>
\nlooks after the husband with the same care as a mother would look<\/span>
\nafter her own child. She will forgive the husband for anything he<\/span>
\ndoes wrong, just like a mother who would forgive her child for his<\/span>
\nmistakes. When the husband suffers a misfortune, or becomes sick<\/span>
\nor disabled, this wife will stay faithful and look after him until his<\/span>
\nlast breath. If the husband dies when she is still young, she will not<\/span>
\nthink of remarrying.<\/span>
\nA wife like a little sister: Such a wife may be playful, moody or<\/span>
\nemotional at times, but she is truthful and loyal to the husband.<\/span>
\nShe gives respect to the husband. Her love for the husband is<\/span>
\nlong-lasting. Such a wife tends to look up to the husband like an<\/span>
\nolder brother.<\/span><\/p>\n

A wife like a friend: Such a wife has the same taste and liking as the<\/span>
\nhusband. She will get along well with the husband. She may think<\/span>
\nof herself as an equal to the husband. She is earnest, and she will<\/span>
\nstand by the husband during good times and bad, just like a true<\/span>
\nfriend would. Their level of morality will be similar and they can<\/span>
\nlive quite happily together.<\/span>
\nA wife like a servant: Such a wife tends to behave like a servant to<\/span>
\nthe husband. She is honest and loyal, and she will do her utmost<\/span>
\nto satisfy the husband. Such a wife tends to be content even<\/span>
\nwhen she is dominated or abused by the husband.<\/span>
\nMahosatha was convinced that Amara was the right woman for<\/span>
\nhim. He proposed to marry her and she accepted. He asked her<\/span>
\nparents for their permission to marry their daughter and they gave<\/span>
\ntheir permission, and so the two became husband and wife. When<\/span>
\nit came time to leave, Mahosatha gave them all the money he had<\/span>
\nbrought and earned, and comforted them. Then Mahosatha and<\/span>
\nAmara bade farewell and set out for the journey to Mithila.<\/span>
\nThroughout this time, Mahosatha never revealed his true identity to<\/span>
\nAmara. Upon their arrival at Mithila he let her stay at the gatekeeper\u2019s<\/span>
\nhouse. He told her he had something to do and would come back to<\/span>
\nfetch her in a day or two. Then he sent some of his friends to seduce<\/span>
\nher in order to test her chastity. None of his friends succeeded, for<\/span>
\nAmara was genuinely faithful to Mahosatha. Mahosatha was very<\/span>
\npleased with her. His love for her increased day after day.<\/span>
\nThe following morning, Mahosatha went to see the queen and<\/span>
\nintroduced Amara to her. Amara was perplexed at what unfolded.<\/span><\/p>\n

She realized for the first time that she had married someone very<\/span>
\nspecial. Mahosatha told her the truth of his identity. This was the<\/span>
\nhappiest day of her life!<\/span>
\nThe king and queen gave Mahosatha and Amara a magnificent<\/span>
\nwedding reception. A grand procession consisting of decorated<\/span>
\nelephants, horse-drawn chariots, musicians and dancers, and a<\/span>
\nretinue of colorfully costumed attendants marched through the<\/span>
\ncity showing off the bride. The people of Mithila all came out<\/span>
\nto celebrate. Those who laid eyes on Amara were captivated by<\/span>
\nher beauty. They brought flowers and gifts to give to the bride.<\/span>
\nAmara divided these gifts and distributed them among the people.<\/span>
\nHer generosity won their hearts.<\/span>
\nFrom that time Mahosatha lived with Amara in happiness.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sage on the Run<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mahosatha continued to serve the king with great wisdom and<\/span>
\nability. But his life was not completely free of obstacles. As he grew<\/span>
\nin greatness, the four sages grew in jealousy.<\/span>
\nOne day, Senaka said to the other three, \u201cBefore now we only had<\/span>
\none Mahosatha to contend with who we could not even shine<\/span>
\nhis shoes. Now that he has married a woman even cleverer, we<\/span>
\nhave to contend with two of them. Before, the king used to treat<\/span>
\nus like celebrities, now he doesn\u2019t even know we exist. We must<\/span>
\nfind a way to separate this rascal from the king.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cWhat do we do now?\u201d asked the other three. \u201cThere is a way.<\/span>
\nWe will portray Mahosatha as a traitor. I will steal the king\u2019s jewel<\/span>
\nfrom the royal crest; you each will steal the golden necklace, the<\/span>
\nroyal robe, and his golden slippers, and we will get them into Mahosatha\u2019s<\/span>
\nhouse without him knowing. Then we will let the king<\/span>
\nknow that Mahosatha has stolen these items from him, and we will<\/span>
\nconvince the king that Mahosatha is scheming against him.\u201d After<\/span>
\nworking out all the details, the four went to work with their respective<\/span>
\nassignments. They managed to steal these items from the king\u2019s<\/span>
\nquarters, and, one by one, got them into Mahosatha\u2019s house with<\/span>
\nthe help of their servants.<\/span>
\nTheir devious schemes did not escape Amara\u2019s knowledge. She<\/span>
\nfound out their moves through her keen instincts. She took note<\/span>
\nof their every move and kept records of them as evidence, and then<\/span>
\ndevised a counterattack.<\/span>
\nWhen the king found out that his personal valuables were missing<\/span>
\nfrom his private quarters, the four sages made up stories to convince<\/span>
\nthe king that Mahosatha had stolen them. The king, being insecure<\/span>
\nby nature and vulnerable to manipulation, believed them without<\/span><\/p>\n

bothering to investigate the facts. He imagined that Mahosatha\u2019s<\/span>
\ngrowing popularity and power must have corrupted his sense of<\/span>
\nequity.<\/span>
\nWhen the news of the king\u2019s accusations was heard by Mahosatha,<\/span>
\nhe asked for an audience with King Vedeha, but the king refused to<\/span>
\nsee him. Instead, he gave the order to have him arrested. Mahosatha<\/span>
\nfigured the king\u2019s rationality had been clouded by his anger, much<\/span>
\nso that it would do him no good to try to reason with him under the<\/span>
\ncircumstances. He knew that if he put up a fight in defense it would<\/span>
\nresult in chaos, and if the king punished him unjustly, it would<\/span>
\ncause an uprising. For the sake of maintaining harmony, he resolved<\/span>
\nthat it would be better if he left the city.<\/span>
\nHe bade farewell to Amara, put on a simple garb and then escaped<\/span>
\nthrough the south gate. When he arrived at the South Town,<\/span>
\nhe took shelter in the house of a local potter and soon ended up<\/span>
\nworking for him as an assistant potter.<\/span>
\nUpon seeing that Mahosatha was gone, the four sages began to set<\/span>
\ntheir eyes on Amara, whose beauty had captivated them. Without<\/span>
\nthe knowledge of the other, each devised a way to seduce her. Amara<\/span>
\ntook advantage of their desire and lured them into her traps. She<\/span>
\nmade each of them fall into a feces-filled pit that she prepared for<\/span>
\nthem in an area of her house. There, she made them confess their<\/span>
\ncrimes, tied them up, and shaved their heads to disgrace them.<\/span>
\nThen she asked for an audience with the king, and she presented<\/span>
\nher evidence along with the four disgraced sages wrapped in sacks.<\/span>
\nThe king listened to her testimony. He appeared to believe her, but<\/span>
\nshowed no interest in reprimanding the four sages. Instead, he let<\/span>
\nthem go free.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Divine Intervention<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Several months went by, whereupon, a guardian deity residing at<\/span>
\nthe king\u2019s court saw the injustice that was done to Mahosatha and<\/span>
\ndecided to intervene. One night, the deity appeared in the king\u2019s<\/span>
\nbedroom and ordered him to solve four riddles. It gave the king two<\/span>
\ndays to come up with the correct answers, or he would be severely<\/span>
\npunished.<\/span>
\nThe king was frightened and feared for his life. He asked the four<\/span>
\nsages for help, but none of them was able to solve the riddles. The<\/span>
\nking begged the deity to give him more time. It told him there was<\/span>
\nonly one person in his kingdom that had the intelligence to solve<\/span>
\nthese riddles, and if he wished to live, he had better find this person<\/span>
\nin time. The king knew right away to whom the deity was referring.<\/span>
\nHe summoned four capable courtiers and ordered them to look for<\/span>
\nMahosatha in all the four directions.<\/span>
\nThe courtiers went out through each of the four city gates.<\/span>
\nThe one who went out through the southern gate finally came upon<\/span>
\nthe South Town. He stopped and asked the people of the South<\/span>
\nTown if they knew of any newcomer who came to their town in<\/span>
\nthe past four months. They told him indeed they knew of one<\/span>
\nsuch newcomer, a young man who worked for the local potter. The<\/span>
\ncourtier went to the potter\u2019s house and saw a young man; his entire<\/span>
\nbody was soiled with potting mud. The courtier could not recognize<\/span>
\nhim at first, but upon looking closer he realized this was indeed<\/span>
\nMahosatha.<\/span>
\nSurprised by his dirty appearance, the courtier asked Mahosatha,<\/span>
\n\u201cYou preached that it is wisdom that overpowers everything. With\u00a0so much wisdom, how come you ended up in such dire conditions?\u201d<\/span>
\nMahosatha replied, \u201cThe king suspected me of treason. I chose a<\/span>
\nlowly lifestyle to show that I have no undue ambition.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe courtier: \u201cIf you were honest, why then did you run away?\u201d<\/span>
\nMahosatha: \u201cI ran away to avoid conflict and unrest. The king\u2019s<\/span>
\nanger clouded his good judgment. If I made audience with the king,<\/span>
\nthe king would not have a clear mind to give justice. So I preferred<\/span>
\nto avoid injustice.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe courtier: \u201cIf you ran away, don\u2019t you think the king would be<\/span>
\nsuspicious?\u201d<\/span>
\nMahosatha: \u201cI am confident that in the end the king will side with<\/span>
\nwisdom. Dhamma protects those who practice it.\u201d<\/span>
\nHaving established the truth, the courtier handed him one thousand<\/span>
\ngold pieces from the king and asked him to come back to Mithila<\/span>
\nwith him. After learning who Mahosatha really was, the potter was<\/span>
\nalarmed, for fear that he might have offended him. Mahosatha comforted<\/span>
\nhim and thanked him for his courtesy. He gave him all<\/span>
\nhis money and bade him farewell.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Lesson for the King<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The king was pleased to receive Mahosatha. He asked Mahosatha,<\/span>
\nwhy with all his intelligence and wisdom, he ended up working as<\/span>
\na lowly potter. Mahosatha explained that he did so to exhibit his<\/span>
\ninnocence. The king then asked, \u201cWith all your capability and with<\/span>
\nthe love and respect that the people have shown you, why did you<\/span>
\nnot usurp my throne? You have all the power and means to do so,<\/span>
\nif you chose.\u201d<\/span>
\nFor which Mahosatha replied:<\/span>
\n\u201cA wise does not seek his gains through evil means.<\/span>
\nWhen suffering misfortune, a wise does not abandon his morals.<\/span>
\nA man who receives shade from a tree should not ravage it, because<\/span>
\na person who harms his friend is a villain.<\/span>
\nThe wise will not betray those from whom he has learned<\/span>
\nsomething.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter having reestablished the king\u2019s trust, he proceeded to give the<\/span>
\nking a moral lesson:<\/span>
\n\u201cA householder who is lazy cannot be successful.<\/span>
\nIt is not fitting for an ordained person to lack composure.<\/span>
\nIt is not fitting for the wise to be quick to anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is not fitting for a king to be imprudent.<\/span>
\nA prudent king who considers everything before executing his decision<\/span>
\nwill be honored and renowned beyond his kingdom.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king listened attentively to Mahosatha\u2019s words. His eyes were<\/span>
\nmild and yielding.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Four Riddles from a Deity<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Then the king presented the four riddles to Mahosatha and said,<\/span>
\n\u201cMy life is in jeopardy unless these riddles are solved today. You are<\/span>
\nthe only one who can do it.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he recited the first riddle: \u201cHe strikes her with hands and feet,<\/span>
\nhe beats her face, yet he is dear to her.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta knew the answer right away. \u201cListen, O King!\u201d he<\/span>
\nsaid, \u201cIt indicates a baby who is loved by his mother. When a child<\/span>
\non the mother\u2019s lap is happy and playfully beats his mother with<\/span>
\nhands and feet; he pulls her hair, beats her face with his fist, and<\/span>
\nthen she says, \u2018Little rascal, why do you beat me?\u2019 And then she<\/span>
\npresses him close to her breast and kisses him. He is dear to her.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe second riddle: \u201cShe abuses him harshly, yet wishes him to<\/span>
\nbe near.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta said, \u201cSire, it signifies a mother\u2019s child who disobeys<\/span>
\nwhen told what to do; she curses at him with angry words, but she<\/span>
\ndoes not mean them, and she loves him dearly.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe third riddle: \u201cHe reviles her without cause, and reproaches her<\/span>
\nwithout reason, yet he is dear to her.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta said, \u201cSire, it signifies lovers teasing one another:<\/span>
\n\u2018You don\u2019t care for me, Your heart is elsewhere, etc.\u2019 They know it is<\/span>
\nuntrue and they love each other dearly. That is the meaning of this<\/span>
\nquestion.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The fourth riddle: \u201cOne takes food and drink, clothes and lodging,<\/span>
\nand then carries them off, yet he is dear to her.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe replied, \u201cSire, this question refers to a mendicant holy man.<\/span>
\nPious families that believe in this world and the next give alms to<\/span>
\nthem and delight in their giving.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter hearing these answers, the guardian deity was well pleased.<\/span>
\nShe praised the Bodhisatta and gave him blessings. The king<\/span>
\nwas happy and relieved. He rewarded Mahosatha handsomely.<\/span>
\nHenceforth, the Bodhisatta continued to gain glory and recognition.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Forgive Thy Enemy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As time went on, Senaka and the other three sages cooked up more<\/span>
\nscandalous stories that caused the king to mistrust Mahosatha.<\/span>
\nBut, repeatedly, Mahosatha was able to clear his name with the<\/span>
\nking and successfully thwarted the four sages\u2019 jealous maneuvering.<\/span>
\nAt one point, the four sages convinced the king to believe that<\/span>
\nMahosatha was plotting against him. Again, the insecure king<\/span>
\nbelieved in their accusations without seeking the facts. This time the<\/span>
\nking became angry enough to order Mahosatha\u2019s execution. He gave<\/span>
\nthe royal sword to Senaka and told him to use it to kill Mahosatha<\/span>
\nthat next morning.<\/span>
\nThat night the king was restless, unable to sleep. He reflected<\/span>
\non Mahosatha\u2019s goodness and thought to himself, \u201cMahosatha<\/span>
\nhas worked for me since he was seven years old. Throughout this<\/span>
\ntime he has served me marvelously and has never done anything<\/span>
\nwrong nor caused me any harm.\u201d It pained him to think that<\/span>
\nMahosatha was about to be killed. Lying next to him, the queen<\/span>
\nnoticed her husband\u2019s anguish and asked him what happened.<\/span>
\nThe king told her.<\/span>
\nThe queen was alarmed and saddened. She hid her tears, waited<\/span>
\nuntil the king fell asleep then slipped out to see Mahosatha at his<\/span>
\nhouse, then broke the news to him. With this information, Mahosatha<\/span>
\nwent to spy on the four sages to find out what secrets they were<\/span>
\nhiding from the king. After learning their hidden secrets he went to<\/span>
\nthe king and told him all of them.<\/span><\/p>\n

The king was outraged, for these secrets had to do with their dishonesty<\/span>
\nand disloyalty toward him. The king summoned the four<\/span>
\nto see him and got them to confess their respective secrets. After<\/span>
\nlearning the truth, the king was so enraged that he ordered them<\/span>
\nbeheaded. Mahosatha pleaded for the king\u2019s mercy. Seeing the kindness<\/span>
\nand generosity of Mahosatha, the king calmed himself. But in<\/span>
\nview of their wickedness, the king felt that they should be banished<\/span>
\nfrom his kingdom. Again, Mahosatha pleaded for the king to pardon<\/span>
\nthem. Looking at Mahosatha, he thought to himself, \u201cHere is<\/span>
\na man, repeatedly victimized by his ferocious enemies to the point<\/span>
\nof almost losing his life, yet he still has the strength to forgive his<\/span>
\nenemies. Such a man is rare. For his sake, I will pardon the four fools.\u201d<\/span>
\nThus, the king ordered his executioner to free them.<\/span>
\nThe four sages realized that it was Mahosatha who saved their lives.<\/span>
\nFor the first time, they began to feel some remorse. They knelt<\/span>
\nbefore Mahosatha with tears in their eyes and asked for his forgiveness.<\/span>
\nFrom that time on, they went about their duties obediently<\/span>
\nand never raised a finger against the Bodhisatta again.<\/span>
\nMahosatha continued to serve the king to the best of his abilities.<\/span>
\nIn due time, the king made him a Regent, with the complete<\/span>
\nauthority to rule the kingdom on his behalf.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Continent at War<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As Regent of Vedeha, Mahosatha worked to improve the security<\/span>
\nand welfare of the state and its people. He renovated the entire<\/span>
\ncity of Mithila, built irrigation systems to bring water supply from<\/span>
\nthe rivers into the city, improved their agricultural systems to<\/span>
\nincrease crop output, and fortified the defense systems of the capital.<\/span>
\nHe ordered higher and stronger city walls to be constructed around<\/span>
\nthe outer perimeters of Mithila in addition to the existing ones.<\/span>
\nHis instincts told him that one day a war would come.<\/span>
\nAt that time, Jambudvipa was inhabited by one hundred and one<\/span>
\nkingdoms in addition to the Kingdom of Vedeha. Mahosatha,<\/span>
\naware of the existence of these other kingdoms, sought to establish a<\/span>
\ngood relationship with all of them. He asked the traders from these<\/span>
\nvarious states what their kings were like and what gifts they favored.<\/span>
\nAfter learning each of the various kings\u2019 favorite objects, he had<\/span>
\nthese gifts crafted with the best material and workmanship and had<\/span>
\nall of them inscribed with his insignias on them.<\/span>
\nHe handpicked one hundred and one of his most capable and<\/span>
\ntrusted attendants, who were born on the same day as him, and said<\/span>
\nto them, \u201cMy men, take these gifts to the hundred and one<\/span>
\nroyal cities and offer them to their kings as tokens of friendship.<\/span>
\nOffer your services to them; gain their trust. Live there, listen<\/span>
\nto their actions and plans, and send me your words. I will<\/span>
\ncare for your wives and children.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And he sent with them his various gifts according to each of the<\/span>
\nking\u2019s fancy: earrings for some, rings for others, bracelets for some,<\/span>
\ngolden necklaces for others, and golden slippers for others. Each<\/span>
\nof these items bore his insignia. The men went on their ways to<\/span>
\neach of these other kingdoms and paid homage to their kings. They<\/span>
\npresented them their gifts and offered their services. They told<\/span>
\nthe kings they had come from various places other than Vedeha.<\/span>
\nThe kings were delighted to receive their favorite gifts and accepted<\/span>
\neach of the men\u2019s offers to be in their service. They remained there<\/span>
\nand made themselves trustworthy.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

King Culani of Kampilla<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the kingdom of Kampilla, there reigned an ambitious king named<\/span>
\nCulani in his capital city of Panacea. He was advised in affairs of the<\/span>
\nstate by a wise and learned Brahmin named Kevatta. Although wise<\/span>
\nand learned, Kevatta was a wicked man.<\/span>
\nKevatta woke up in his chamber one morning and said to himself,<\/span>
\n\u201cWhat a magnificent environment I have here. With all the glory<\/span>
\nand splendors that king Culani has given me, I ought to repay his<\/span>
\nkindness by finding a way to make him the king of all kings in Jambudvipa.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe considered all the possibilities and concluded that this<\/span>
\nambition could be realized without much difficulty. Pleased with his<\/span>
\nideas, he went to the king and told him his plans.<\/span>
\n\u201cMy Lord\u201d he said, \u201cWe have eighteen great armies in our command.<\/span>
\nWe will attack and surround all the other regions one by one.<\/span>
\nWe will first besiege a small city. Then I will enter the city and will<\/span>
\nsay to their king, \u2018We have no desire for your throne but to share<\/span>
\nsome of your wealth. There is no use in your fighting; join us and<\/span>
\nyour kingdom will be spared. But if you fight with our mighty force,<\/span>
\nyour city will be ravaged and your people will be destroyed. It is<\/span>
\nbest that you surrender in order to avoid the loss of life.\u2019 After the<\/span>
\nfirst city surrenders we will detain its king and use its army. With<\/span>
\nthe combined armies we then go to take another city, and another.<\/span>
\nAfter victory we will invite these kings to drink a cup of victory at<\/span>
\nour city and poison them. Thus we will get the hundred and one<\/span>
\nroyal capitals into our hands and you will become the emperor of<\/span>
\nall of Jambudvipa.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king asked, \u201cWhat if they don\u2019t surrender?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Culani in his capital city of Panacea. He was advised in affairs of the<\/span>
\nstate by a wise and learned Brahmin named Kevatta. Although wise<\/span>
\nand learned, Kevatta was a wicked man.<\/span>
\nKevatta woke up in his chamber one morning and said to himself,<\/span>
\n\u201cWhat a magnificent environment I have here. With all the glory<\/span>
\nand splendors that king Culani has given me, I ought to repay his<\/span>
\nkindness by finding a way to make him the king of all kings in Jambudvipa.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe considered all the possibilities and concluded that this<\/span>
\nambition could be realized without much difficulty. Pleased with his<\/span>
\nideas, he went to the king and told him his plans.<\/span>
\n\u201cMy Lord\u201d he said, \u201cWe have eighteen great armies in our command.<\/span>
\nWe will attack and surround all the other regions one by one.<\/span>
\nWe will first besiege a small city. Then I will enter the city and will<\/span>
\nsay to their king, \u2018We have no desire for your throne but to share<\/span>
\nsome of your wealth. There is no use in your fighting; join us and<\/span>
\nyour kingdom will be spared. But if you fight with our mighty force,<\/span>
\nyour city will be ravaged and your people will be destroyed. It is<\/span>
\nbest that you surrender in order to avoid the loss of life.\u2019 After the<\/span>
\nfirst city surrenders we will detain its king and use its army. With<\/span>
\nthe combined armies we then go to take another city, and another.<\/span>
\nAfter victory we will invite these kings to drink a cup of victory at<\/span>
\nour city and poison them. Thus we will get the hundred and one<\/span>
\nroyal capitals into our hands and you will become the emperor of<\/span>
\nall of Jambudvipa.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king asked, \u201cWhat if they don\u2019t surrender?\u201d<\/span>
\nKevatta replied, \u201cThen we will kill every one of them.\u201d<\/span>
\nEyes widened with excitement, the ambitious King Culani<\/span>
\nexclaimed, \u201cBrilliant, my teacher. I see no flaws in your plans.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Culani did as Kevatta had proposed. He went with his army<\/span>
\nand laid siege to a small city. Kevatta, as he had suggested, went<\/span>
\ninto the city and explained matters to their king and won him over.<\/span>
\nThen joining the two armies, Culani went on to another city, and<\/span>
\nthen another.<\/span>
\nIn seven years, seven months and seven days Culani waged war and<\/span>
\nconquered all the other states, except Vedeha.<\/span>
\nMahosatha had not been idle. He had rebuilt Mithila\u2019s defenses and<\/span>
\nhad sent spies to live among Kevatta\u2019s men. These spies reported<\/span>
\nCulani\u2019s every move to Mahosatha.<\/span>
\nCulani said to Kevatta, \u201cWe have conquered all of Jambudvipa<\/span>
\nexcept Vedeha. Now let us lay siege upon Mithila.\u201d<\/span>
\nKevatta said, \u201cMithila has a wise and capable sage famed for his<\/span>
\nwisdom and cleverness. With him as a leader, it would not be easy<\/span>
\nfor any army to overcome Mithila. There will be too many casualties<\/span>
\nif we face an outright war. The exchange would not be worth it, now<\/span>
\nthat we have won great fortune. I advise Your Majesty that we now<\/span>
\nreturn to our city to drink a cup of victory and we proceed with<\/span>
\nour other plans.\u201d Culani saw the merit of Kevatta\u2019s wisdom and he<\/span>
\nconcurred. Thus, the great armies of Culani left Mithila alone and<\/span>
\nreturned home to Kampilla.<\/span><\/p>\n

As they settled back in the city of Pancala, Kevatta and Culani<\/span>
\nproceeded with their next move to assassinate the other kings. They<\/span>
\nannounced a date of celebration to drink their cups of victory and<\/span>
\ninvited all the kings to attend. They adorned the park and told the<\/span>
\nservants to prepare food of all sorts and to set out thousands of jars<\/span>
\nof wine and liquor, and they put poison in them.<\/span>
\nThis news got to Mahosatha through his spy. He thought to<\/span>
\nhimself, \u201cIt is not right that so many kings should be killed while a<\/span>
\nwise man like myself lives. I will help them.\u201d He sent for ten thousand<\/span>
\nwarriors and his birth-fellows and instructed them to go to Kampilla<\/span>
\nto thwart Culani\u2019s plan. They disguised themselves as King Videha\u2019s<\/span>
\nentourage who came to pay homage to Culani, then they went to<\/span>
\nthe park where the ceremony was to be held, destroyed all the wines<\/span>
\nand liquors and ravaged everything in the party<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Time for War<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Culani\u2019s plan was thwarted. He was angry beyond control. The other<\/span>
\nkings were angry because they had been deprived of their cups of<\/span>
\nvictory; and their soldiers were also angry for having lost the chance<\/span>
\nto a free feast. Culani said to the other kings \u201cCome, friends, let us<\/span>
\ngo to Mithila and cut off King Vedeha\u2019s head and trample it under<\/span>
\nour feet, and then come back and drink the cup of victory! Go tell<\/span>
\nyour armies to get them ready.\u201d<\/span>
\nKevatta said to Culani, \u201cSire, Mahosatha is very powerful. Guarded<\/span>
\nby him, as a lion guards his den, Mithila can be taken by no one.\u201d<\/span>
\nBut the king, mad with a soldier\u2019s pride, no longer listened to him.<\/span>
\nBack at Mithila, Mahosatha was well prepared. All storehouses<\/span>
\nwere stockpiled with foodstuff, corn and grain, fuel and supplies,<\/span>
\nand seeds for planting. He had three layers of moats dug outside<\/span>
\nsurrounding the city walls. He set up a barricade and fortification in<\/span>
\nall the strategic points within and around the city. And he brought<\/span>
\nall the people inside the city walls and sheltered them in areas which<\/span>
\nhe provided and in the various compounds of wealthy citizens. Large<\/span>
\nbanks were dug up and were made reservoirs for water. Soldiers were<\/span>
\ndeployed in all the strategic positions. Battle plans and war strategies<\/span>
\nwere perfected. With all these provisions and preparations, Mithila<\/span>
\nwas impenetrable, and its people could subsist within the walls<\/span>
\nwithout provisions from the outside for years to come.<\/span>
\nFinally, the mighty armies of Culani arrived. They surrounded<\/span>
\nMithila from all sides. King Vedeha and the four sages trembled<\/span>
\nat the sight of such mighty armies. But Mahosatha and his soldiers<\/span>
\nwere unmoved.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the months that followed, battles of wits between Culani,<\/span>
\nKevatta and Mahosatha ensued. Kevatta masterminded various<\/span>
\nmoves to overtake Mithila, but their every move was foiled by<\/span>
\nMahosatha and his men. They attempted to cut off food supply<\/span>
\nand starve the inhabitants inside the walls, deprived them of water<\/span>
\nand fuels, and attacked them with all their might, but none of their<\/span>
\nefforts yielded any results. Mahosatha\u2019s spies informed him of every<\/span>
\nmove they planned to make and Mahosatha outsmarted them in<\/span>
\nevery one of those moves.<\/span>
\nKing Culani became more and more frustrated. He said to Kevatta,<\/span>
\n\u201cNone of your strategies is working. Our soldiers are discouraged.<\/span>
\nTheir morale is low. There is no hope of victory. Mithila is impenetrable.<\/span>
\nTo keep fighting is no use. We should return to our city.\u201d<\/span>
\nKevatta said, \u201cMy Lord, this would not be a good idea. If we do<\/span>
\nthis we will become a laughing stock. People will say, \u2018The great<\/span>
\nking Culani, with his eighteen great armies and the armies of<\/span>
\nthe hundred and one kings could not take Mithila.\u2019 We shall be<\/span>
\ndisgraced. Mahosatha is not the only wise man, for I am another.<\/span>
\nI have another plan.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cBattle of the Law\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Kevatta explained, \u201cI will challenge Mahosatha to come out and<\/span>
\nengage with me in the Battle of the Law.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cWhat do you mean by that?\u201d the king asked.<\/span>
\n\u201cThe Battle of the Law is the battle of wits between the wise.<\/span>
\nIt was practiced in the olden days to avoid bloodshed. No army shall<\/span>
\nfight. The two sages of the two kings shall appear in one place, and<\/span>
\nof these men, whichever shall make a salute to the other, shall mean<\/span>
\nadmittance of defeat, and shall be conquered. This is the way of the<\/span>
\nwar which is respected by honorable kings. Mahosatha is aware of<\/span>
\nthis way of war, but he does not yet know my trick. It is a custom<\/span>
\nthat when a younger sage meets an older sage he is to salute the<\/span>
\nolder sage. I am older and he is younger, and when he sees me he<\/span>
\nwill salute me. Thus we shall conquer Vedeha, and, with this done,<\/span>
\nwe shall return home. So we shall not be disgraced. That is what is<\/span>
\nmeant by a Battle of the Law.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cA stroke of genius, my teacher,\u201d Culani exclaimed.<\/span>
\nAgain this tactic was reported to Mahosatha by his spy.<\/span>
\nCulani wrote a letter and sent it to Vedeha by a messenger to this<\/span>
\neffect: \u201cTomorrow there shall be a Battle of the Law between the<\/span>
\ntwo sages, and he who refuses to fight shall be declared vanquished.\u201d<\/span>
\nUpon the receipt of this, Vedeha sent for Mahosatha and told him<\/span>
\nof this challenge. \u201cGood, my Lord,\u201d he answered, \u201cSend word to<\/span>
\nprepare a place for the Battle of the Law by the western gate and<\/span>
\nto assemble there.\u201d Vedeha did so and sent his letter with the messenger<\/span>
\nto Culani.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mahosatha chose the site for the Battle of the Law outside the western<\/span>
\ngate so that Culani\u2019s armies would be facing the afternoon sun<\/span>
\nwhich would blur their vision. He asked king Vedeha to let him<\/span>
\nborrow his precious octagonal gem which he would use to defeat<\/span>
\nKevatta. Then he set off to the battle site with a thousand warriors.<\/span>
\nAt the other side, Kevatta, surrounded by his guards, saw Mahosatha<\/span>
\ncoming and advanced to meet him. He said, \u201cSage Mahosatha, we<\/span>
\nare both sages and I am a guest of your city. How come you never<\/span>
\nshowed the courtesy from one sage to another and never sent me<\/span>
\neven a small gift?\u201d<\/span>
\nMahosatha replied, \u201cWise sir, I was looking for a gift which should<\/span>
\nnot be unworthy of you and today I have found such a gift. This is a<\/span>
\npriceless gem given to King Vedeha by his grandfather. It is the pride<\/span>
\nof Mithila. There is not one like it in this world.\u201d Kevatta saw the<\/span>
\ngem ablaze in Mahosatha\u2019s hand, his eyes wide open, and he could<\/span>
\nnot restrain his excitement.<\/span>
\n\u201cOh, such glorious gem! Give it to me then.\u201d He held out his hand.<\/span>
\n\u201cHere, take it,\u201d said Mahosatha, and dropped the heavy gem upon<\/span>
\nthe tips of the fingers of Kevatta\u2019s outstretched hand. But the gem<\/span>
\nwas too heavy and Kevatta could not support its weight with the<\/span>
\ntips of his fingers. It slipped down and rolled toward Mahosatha\u2019s<\/span>
\nfeet. In his greed for the gem, Kevatta stooped down to Mahosatha\u2019s<\/span>
\nfeet. Mahosatha seized his shoulder blade with one hand and his<\/span>
\nneck with another and pressed him down towards the floor and said<\/span>
\nout loud, \u201cRise teacher, rise; I am much younger than you, young<\/span>
\nenough to be your grandson; please do not bow to me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He said this again and again, as he rubbed Kevatta\u2019s face and<\/span>
\nforehead against the ground until it was all bloody. Then with<\/span>
\nthese words, \u201cOld fool, you think you can outsmart me?\u201d he threw<\/span>
\nKevatta away from him. Thinking Mahosatha would kill him,<\/span>
\nKevatta got up and ran off.<\/span>
\nWith the sun upon their faces, Culani\u2019s soldiers could not see what<\/span>
\nactually took place, but they saw Kevatta bowed at Mahosatha\u2019s feet<\/span>
\nthen got up and ran away. Mahosatha\u2019s words, \u201cRise up, rise,<\/span>
\ndo not bow to me!\u201d echoed in their ears. They exclaimed aloud<\/span>
\nwith one voice, \u201cBrahmin Kevatta bowed to Mahosatha\u2019s feet!\u201d<\/span>
\nCulani and all the kings saw Kevatta bowed before the feet of<\/span>
\nMahosatha. \u201cOur sage has bowed to Mahosatha. Now we are<\/span>
\ndefeated!\u201d they exclaimed. Fearing for their lives all the kings<\/span>
\nmounted their horses and began to flee.<\/span>
\nMahosatha\u2019s men yelled, \u201cKing Culani and all the other kings<\/span>
\nare running away. Let\u2019s capture them and kill them all!\u201d Hearing<\/span>
\nthis, the hundred and one kings became even more frightened.<\/span>
\nThey hurried away without looking back. Kevatta mounted upon a<\/span>
\nhorse, galloped fast and caught up with the fleeing soldiers. He<\/span>
\ncried, \u201cDo not run, do not run! I did not bow to the rascal!<\/span>
\nStop, stop!\u201d But the soldiers would not stop. They yelled back at<\/span>
\nKevatta in disgust. Some of them even wanted to give him a<\/span>
\nbeating for the disgrace he gave to all of them. Kevatta rushed<\/span>
\naway from them to avoid being mobbed by the angry soldiers. He<\/span>
\nleft them in frustration and went looking for Culani.<\/span>
\nAfter catching up with King Culani, Kevatta explained to him<\/span>
\nwhat really happened and begged for him to regroup and to<\/span>
\nreattack the city. The king was equally angry for having been out\u00a0smarted in such a ridiculous way.<\/span><\/p>\n

He swore revenge and ordered<\/span>
\nthe army to turn around and surround Mithila.<\/span>
\nThe battle went on. Culani and his generals were determined to<\/span>
\nfight them to the end.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Send Them a Spy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Mahosatha strived to come up with a way to put an end to this war<\/span>
\nonce and for all. After some deliberation he came up with a plan.<\/span>
\nHe asked his people to look for someone with good distinction who<\/span>
\nhad the wit and the courage to carry out a difficult assignment.<\/span>
\nThey found a wise Brahmin that fit such a description and brought<\/span>
\nhim to Mahosatha. After having established the Brahmin\u2019s intelligence<\/span>
\nand courage, Mahosatha gave him the assignment to feign a<\/span>
\ndefection, telling him that if he accepted the assignment he would<\/span>
\nhave to subject himself to a great deal of pain and suffering in order<\/span>
\nto convince the enemy. The Brahmin willingly accepted the assignment.<\/span>
\nHe said, \u201cIt would be my honor. For the sake of the livelihood<\/span>
\nof the people of Mithila, there is nothing that I would not do. I am<\/span>
\nwilling to lay down my life for this worthy cause.\u201d<\/span>
\nMahosatha had the Brahmin whipped until he was covered with<\/span>
\nblood. Then he had him banished out of the city. Culani\u2019s soldiers<\/span>
\nfound the mutilated Brahmin and brought him to their king.<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin expressed his deep hatred against Mahosatha and<\/span>
\nswore revenge. Culani examined the Brahmin\u2019s sincerity and<\/span>
\ndetermined that his bitterness was genuine and that he could trust<\/span>
\nhim. The Brahmin made it known to Culani that he was familiar<\/span>
\nwith the internal affairs of Mithila, the logistics of the city and the<\/span>
\nknowledge of its strengths and weaknesses, which Culani could take<\/span>
\nadvantage of in order to defeat Mithila.<\/span>
\nCulani was convinced of the Brahmin\u2019s story. To take advantage<\/span>
\nof the Brahmin\u2019s inside knowledge of the enemy, he had him<\/span><\/p>\n

appointed as his army commander. The Brahmin deliberately led<\/span>
\nCulani\u2019s army to several treacherous places where they were slaughtered<\/span>
\nby vicious animals and crocodiles and the arrows and spears of<\/span>
\nMahosatha\u2019s soldiers. After several repeating casualties, Culani\u2019s men<\/span>
\nlost their will to fight. They refused to follow the Brahmin into<\/span>
\nfurther disasters.<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin then reported to Culani that his kings had been bribed<\/span>
\nby Mahosatha and that was the reason why they would not fight<\/span>
\nfor him. At first Culani did not believe it. But the Brahmin then<\/span>
\nrevealed that each of the hundred and one kings owned valuable<\/span>
\ngifts bearing Mahosatha\u2019s insignia. King Culani was shaken by this<\/span>
\nrevelation. He asked the Brahmin what to do next. The Brahmin<\/span>
\ntold him that he could be assassinated by his traitors at any given<\/span>
\nmoment and that the only smart thing for him to do was to escape<\/span>
\nwithout the knowledge of the others. Culani saw no other way out<\/span>
\nbut to take the Brahmin\u2019s advice and so he fled with him in the<\/span>
\ndarkness of the night.<\/span>
\nAfter they were a good distance away from their camp, the<\/span>
\nBrahmin turned around and went back to Culani\u2019s men. Upon<\/span>
\narrival he shouted at the top of his voice, \u201cKing Culani has fled,<\/span>
\nKing Culani has fled!\u201d Adding to the momentum, Mahosatha\u2019s<\/span>
\nspies all cried out in unison, \u201cKing Culani has run away! He has<\/span>
\ndeserted us! The enemies are routing us.We have to run.\u201d<\/span>
\nMahosatha\u2019s soldiers on the towers and at the gate beat their<\/span>
\ndrums and banged their armor as loud as they could while shouting<\/span><\/p>\n

a fierce battle cry. The whole city was roaring with angry sounds to<\/span>
\nfurther terrorize them.<\/span>
\nHearing the thundering, angry noises of their enemies, all the<\/span>
\nhundred and one kings fled in terror. Seeing their leaders fleeing in<\/span>
\ncowardice, all the soldiers followed suit and fled in such a hurry that<\/span>
\nthey left their valuables, weapons, armors and all their provisions<\/span>
\nbehind. Within hours the whole camp was empty.<\/span>
\nThe next morning, the Mithila soldiers opened the city gates,<\/span>
\nwent forth and saw the great booty, which they reported to<\/span>
\nMahosatha. It took them four months to remove all the valuables,<\/span>
\nweapons, armor, articles and provisions from the field.<\/span>
\nKing Vedeha was overjoyed with their success. Mahosatha and all<\/span>
\nthe soldiers were well rewarded. The enemy spoils were distributed<\/span>
\namong the soldiers and the people of Mithila. Mahosatha\u2019s fame<\/span>
\nwent far and wide. Mithila was free from the siege and the kingdom<\/span>
\nof Vedeha became even more prosperous.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Use the Princess as Bait<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Now, one year had passed, and Culani and the hundred and one<\/span>
\nkings were settling down in their respective kingdoms. One day,<\/span>
\nwhile Kevatta was looking upon his face in a mirror, he saw the<\/span>
\nscar on his forehead and it reminded him, \u201cThis is the doing of<\/span>
\nthat miserable merchant\u2019s son. He made me the laughingstock<\/span>
\nbefore all those kings! I must have my revenge.\u201d<\/span>
\nDays and nights he dreamed of his revenge. Then one night an idea<\/span>
\ncame to him: \u201cA fisherman catches his fish with his bait. No fish in<\/span>
\nthe world will refuse an easy meal. I will draw Vedeha to Pancala<\/span>
\nwith a sensual desire. My great king Culani has a daughter whose<\/span>
\nbeauty is second to none. I will use her as bait to get King Vedeha.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter having perfected his plan, Kevatta went to see King Culani<\/span>
\nand said to him, \u201cYour Majesty, I have devised a perfect way to<\/span>
\ndispose of King Vedeha and his sage.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king was skeptical, \u201cTeacher, the last time you had a good<\/span>
\nidea, I did not have even as much as a rag to cover me. What is it<\/span>
\nthis time?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cYour Majesty, none of those ideas can match this one. It cannot<\/span>
\nfail,\u201d Kevatta replied.<\/span>
\n\u201cGo on, I\u2019m listening,\u201d said the king.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kevatta continued, \u201cYour Majesty, a fisherman catches his fish with<\/span>
\nhis bait; a hunter catches his prey with his trap. We will lure King<\/span>
\nVedeha to Pancala by using a sensual desire as bait. Your Majesty<\/span>
\nhas a daughter whose beauty is beyond compare. We will use her as<\/span>
\nbait to get the king to come to Pancala. We will have the Princess\u2019<\/span>
\ncharms and accomplishments celebrated in verses by poets and singers,<\/span>
\nand have those poems sung throughout Mithila and beyond.<\/span>
\nKing Vedeha will hear them, be enchanted by them, and will not be<\/span>
\nable to help himself but fall in love with the Princess.<\/span>
\n\u201cWe will then spread the word that Princess Pancalacandi\u2019s beauty<\/span>
\nis beyond compare and no one is worthy of her hand except for<\/span>
\nKing Vedeha, and that King Culani intends to give the Princess to<\/span>
\nhim to forge a bond of friendship. When the king hears about it he<\/span>
\nwill not be able to resist his desire for the beautiful princess.<\/span>
\n\u201cThen I will go to Mithila as Your Majesty\u2019s emissary and present a<\/span>
\nfriendly message from Your Majesty offering the hand of the Princess<\/span>
\nto him in matrimony to forge a bond of friendship between<\/span>
\nour two kingdoms. King Vedeha, like a fish that has swallowed the<\/span>
\nhook, will come forth to Pancala City. As a close royal adviser, it is<\/span>
\nnatural that Mahosatha would accompany the king. When they are<\/span>
\nhere, they will be like little sheep in our lion\u2019s den. We will capture<\/span>
\nthem and kill them both, and we will have our cup of victory.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

King Culani thought for a minute and said, \u201cIt sounds reasonable,<\/span>
\nbut have you forgotten the fact that the king already has a queen<\/span>
\nwho is also beautiful and clever?\u201d<\/span>
\nTo which Kevatta replied, \u201cHis queen may be beautiful but she is an<\/span>
\nold dish that can hardly compare with a delicious new dish. Besides<\/span>
\nhis current queen is someone he has picked up from nowhere. By<\/span>
\nbirth she is only a commoner, and up until now she still could not<\/span>
\nbear him an heir. On the contrary, Princess Pancalacandi is royalty<\/span>
\nthrough and through. King Vedeha will no doubt be like a foolish<\/span>
\nfish that is pursuing a juicy bait.\u201d<\/span>
\nCulani\u2019s own vengeful anger was still fresh in his heart. He was ready<\/span>
\nto listen to any scheme that would help him to avenge himself. After<\/span>
\nhearing Kevatta\u2019s elaboration, King Culani agreed to go along with<\/span>
\nhis evil scheme.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marry My Daughter<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

And so the king sent for the most celebrated poets, singers and<\/span>
\nmusicians in the land, showed them his daughter, and asked them to<\/span>
\ncompose poems and songs about her beauty; and they made exceedingly<\/span>
\nbeautiful verses and sweet songs and then recited them to the<\/span>
\nking. The king was thoroughly captivated by the beauty of their<\/span>
\nverses and the sweetness of their song and music. He told them to<\/span>
\ngo to Mithila and to sing and perform in the same way. They went<\/span>
\nto Mithila, singing and performing all along the way, and they sang<\/span>
\nand performed in all public places of Mithila. Crowds of people<\/span>
\nheard the songs, and amidst loud applause, they paid them well.<\/span>
\nNews of these celebrated poets and musicians caught the attention<\/span>
\nof the gullible King Vedeha. He summoned them to his palace.<\/span>
\nAfter hearing the verses and the songs the king was spellbound.<\/span>
\nBefuddled with passion, soon King Vedeha was determined to have<\/span>
\nthe princess for his bride.<\/span>
\nThe musicians returned to Pancala and reported the news to King<\/span>
\nCulani. Kevatta told the king, \u201cThe time is now ripe for me to go<\/span>
\nto Mithila. I will complete the rest of the plan.\u201d And the king let<\/span>
\nhim go.<\/span>
\nTaking several precious gifts with him, Kevatta set out to the city of<\/span>
\nMithila followed by a large entourage. Upon his arrival, he asked<\/span>
\nto see King Vedeha to pay him homage. \u201cYour Majesty,\u201d said<\/span>
\nKevatta, \u201cMy great King Culani wishes to restore the friendship<\/span>
\nbetween our two kingdoms. He sends you his best wishes along<\/span>
\nwith these gifts as tokens of his friendship. He wishes for Your<\/span>
\nMajesty to become united with him as one family and for the<\/span>
\npeople of Pancala and Vedeha to be like brothers and sisters. To\u00a0show his sincerity, he offers the hand of his beautiful<\/span>
\ndaughter Princess Pancalacandi, to be joined in matrimony with<\/span>
\nyour Majesty. This marriage between our two royalties will foster<\/span>
\npeace and prosperity throughout the entire continent. The king<\/span>
\nextends his invitation for Your Majesty to come to Pancala City<\/span>
\nand marry his daughter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fish on the Hook<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Happy beyond words, King Vedeha accepted King Culani\u2019s<\/span>
\ninvitation right away and sent his affirmation of acceptance to<\/span>
\nKing Culani.<\/span>
\nMahosatha had a strange feeling about the whole thing. He thought<\/span>
\nto himself, \u201cThere must be a hidden agenda. The wise always think<\/span>
\nand prepare ahead. I must send a spy to Pancala to find out what<\/span>
\nis behind all this.\u201d And so he did. After some smart maneuvering,<\/span>
\nthe spy was able to find out the truth behind the scheme and came<\/span>
\nback to report to the Bodhisatta.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta warned the king of this trickery, but the king was<\/span>
\nblinded with lust and dismissed Mahosatha\u2019s warning. He then<\/span>
\ntold him he had made up his mind and no one could stop him<\/span>
\nfrom going.<\/span>
\nSeeing the king\u2019s foolishness, Mahosatha spoke strongly to him<\/span>
\nwith these words: \u201cA hunter uses a doe to lure a deer to his trap;<\/span>
\na fisherman puts bait on his hook to lure a fish to come up from<\/span>
\ndeep water; Culani uses his daughter to lure you to your death. The<\/span>
\ndeer anxious for mating does not recognize the trap; the fish greedy<\/span>
\nfor food does not recognize the hook hidden in the bait; and you,<\/span>
\nO King, blinded by desire, do not recognize Culani\u2019s daughter as<\/span>
\nyour deathtrap. Go to Pancala, and in a little time you will destroy<\/span>
\nyourself just like a deer caught on the hunter\u2019s trap and a fish that<\/span>
\nswallowed the hook.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king, unaccustomed to such a heavy reproach by anyone, was<\/span>
\nfurious. He spoke angrily, \u201cHow dare you speak to me this way.<\/span>
\nThe great King Culani has offered me his daughter to restore our<\/span><\/p>\n

relationship. Instead of giving me a few words of good wishes, you<\/span>
\nportend that I shall be caught and killed like a silly deer or a dumb<\/span>
\nfish! Nothing is going to change my mind. I will have you banished<\/span>
\nfrom my kingdom!\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king spoke out of anger, not meaning what he said. After<\/span>
\nhaving calmed down he told Mahosatha that he should support his<\/span>
\ndecision and come to Pancala with him.<\/span>
\nSeeing that the king was determined to go, Mahosatha thought to<\/span>
\nhimself, \u201cThe king won\u2019t listen to me. He will perish unless I do<\/span>
\nsomething to prevent it. A man should always work for the best<\/span>
\ninterests of his benefactor. I must do all that I can for him. I will get<\/span>
\nhim what he wants and also protect him from harm.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe spent some time thinking about what he could do for the king.<\/span>
\nAfter having formulated a plan he went to see the king and told<\/span>
\nhim, \u201cI would like to make the trip before you so I can have a small<\/span>
\npalace built within Pancala City to accommodate Your Majesty, and<\/span>
\nalso to see to it that everything is in order for your visit. After all<\/span>
\nthe buildings are completed then Your Majesty can make the trip.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king was pleased that Mahosatha did not abandon him.<\/span>
\nHe asked the Bodhisatta what he would need to complete his task.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta told him that he needed workers, means of transportation,<\/span>
\nbuilding materials, tools and equipment. He asked the<\/span>
\nking to give pardons to prisoners in the four prisons and release<\/span>
\nthem so he could use them to do construction projects for him.<\/span>
\nThe king granted every one of his requests.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bodhisatta ordered the prisoners to be released from the four<\/span>
\nprisons. All of them were pardoned. They were so happy to have<\/span>
\ntheir freedom once again. They all were grateful to Mahosatha and<\/span>
\nwould do anything he asked them to do. He selected artisans to head<\/span>
\nthe work in their respective fields. He engaged engineers, carpenters,<\/span>
\nbuilders, stone workers, blacksmiths, bricklayers, painters, etc.,<\/span>
\nall strong and healthy and who were experts in their respective fields.<\/span>
\nHe selected those that were strong and courageous and had combative<\/span>
\nskills to become soldiers. Construction equipment, building<\/span>
\nmaterials, and tools were gathered together. After everything was<\/span>
\nready, the convoy consisting of troops, artisans and workers began<\/span>
\nits journey to Pancala City.<\/span>
\nThey built several resting points and camps along the path between<\/span>
\nMithila and Pancala to provide accommodation and protection for<\/span>
\nthe king and his entourage. A unit of soldiers and their captains<\/span>
\nwere provided at each of these camps. When the convoy arrived<\/span>
\nat the great river Ganges, Mahosatha ordered three hundred large<\/span>
\nboats to be built and filled the boats with timber to take across the<\/span>
\nriver into enemy lands.<\/span>
\nAfter they arrived at the border of Pancala City, Mahosatha and<\/span>
\nhis crew surveyed the land and the terrain, measured the distance<\/span>
\nbetween each point, and observed the weather patterns and everything<\/span>
\nthat was deemed to be important. A camp was built nearby to<\/span>
\nshelter his soldiers, elephants, horses and chariots.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Tunnel<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At a strategic location across the river within the enemy\u2019s land,<\/span>
\nMahosatha ordered his men to build a mile-long tunnel system that<\/span>
\nwould take them from the bank of the river Ganges to the center of<\/span>
\nPancala City.<\/span>
\nWhen King Culani heard of the Bodhisatta\u2019s coming, he was excited<\/span>
\nand said to himself, \u201cNow the time has come for me to finish my<\/span>
\nold business. Mahosatha is coming, and soon Vedeha will follow.<\/span>
\nI will kill them both and complete my dominion over the whole of<\/span>
\nJumbudvipa.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Culani welcomed Mahosatha and his entourage as they<\/span>
\narrived at his palace. He asked Mahosatha where King Vedeha was<\/span>
\nand when he would be arriving. Mahosatha told him he came first<\/span>
\nto build a suitable dwelling place for the king and as soon as the<\/span>
\nbuilding was completed, he would send word for the king to come.<\/span>
\nKing Culani gave him a house to stay in and ordered his people<\/span>
\nto give him whatever he needed so he could finish his assignment<\/span>
\nquickly. He also allowed Mahosatha to pick any land he wanted on<\/span>
\nwhich to build King Vedeha\u2019s dwelling place. Culani figured the<\/span>
\nquicker Mahosatha could finish his job, the sooner Vedeha would<\/span>
\ncome, and the sooner he could have them killed.<\/span>
\nMahosatha and his men surveyed the entire city of Pancala in detail.<\/span>
\nHe chose a site outside the city to construct the dwelling. While<\/span>
\nat King Culani\u2019s palace he found a perfect spot under the staircase<\/span>
\nat the entrance of King Culani\u2019s private quarters to make a hidden<\/span>
\nexit for his tunnel.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mahosatha\u2019s men worked day and night to build the tunnel.<\/span>
\nThe dirt they removed was dropped in the river and elsewhere.<\/span>
\nThe tunnel was built with mechanical doors that could be made to<\/span>
\nopen and close simultaneously. On either side of the tunnel walls there<\/span>
\nwere hundreds of lamp-cells also mechanically fitted so that when<\/span>
\none was opened all opened, and when one was shut all were shut.<\/span>
\nThe tunnel was beautifully constructed and decorated. The main<\/span>
\ntunnel path was large enough for an elephant to walk through.<\/span>
\nWith thousands of men assigned to the task working day and night,<\/span>
\nboth the palace and the tunnel were completed in four months. Then<\/span>
\nMahosatha sent word to his king to begin his journey. Several days<\/span>
\nlater, King Vedeha arrived. The following day, he sent a message to<\/span>
\nKing Culani informing him of his arrival and requesting to see his<\/span>
\nfuture bride. Culani sent back a message telling him that he would<\/span>
\ndeliver the princess soon. Instead, he sent signals to the hundred<\/span>
\nand one kings and their soldiers to start mobilizing for an attack.<\/span>
\nThen he had his mother, his queen, his son and daughter escorted<\/span>
\nto a safe place inside his private quarters protected by palace guards.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Abduction<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

King Culani, the hundred and one kings, and their soldiers moved<\/span>
\nquietly to surround King Vedeha\u2019s newly constructed stronghold in<\/span>
\nthe middle of the night, ready to take it at dawn. Mahosatha had<\/span>
\nalready anticipated Culani\u2019s move. His men were fully prepared. He<\/span>
\nsent three hundred of his top soldiers to use the tunnel. Stealthily,<\/span>
\nthey entered Culani\u2019s private quarters, subdued the guards, tied<\/span>
\nthem up and gagged them. Then they went to the room where the<\/span>
\nroyal family was hiding. They pretended to be Culani\u2019s soldiers<\/span>
\nand talked them into coming out, then escorted them through the<\/span>
\ntunnel. The royal family went with them willingly, for they were<\/span>
\ncompletely fooled by the ruse. The soldiers took them to one of<\/span>
\nthe most beautiful chambers and asked them to wait there. Other<\/span>
\nsoldiers stayed behind and ransacked the palace and plundered the<\/span>
\ntreasury. Then they sent word to Mahosatha.<\/span>
\nKing Vedeha and the four sages were terrified when they learned<\/span>
\nthat they had been surrounded by their enemy\u2019s soldiers. Mahosatha<\/span>
\ncalmed them and took them through a secret path to the main<\/span>
\ntunnel. He opened the gate and let them come inside the lit halls of<\/span>
\nthe tunnel. Then he reached for a hidden handle in a wall and turned<\/span>
\nit, and all the doors inside the tunnel were opened. He reached<\/span>
\nfor a hidden pin nearby and pushed it, and all the lamps were lighted<\/span>
\nthroughout the tunnel. The king and the four sages were in awe<\/span>
\nat everything they saw. They moved quickly through the tunnel<\/span>
\nuntil they reached the main exit, which was near the bank of the<\/span>
\nriver Ganges.<\/span><\/p>\n

As they emerged from the tunnel\u2019s exit they were greeted by Mahosatha\u2019s<\/span>
\nsoldiers. The soldiers took them to a nearby courtyard and<\/span>
\nthen brought out King Culani\u2019s royal family to meet them. The royal<\/span>
\nfamily members were all frightened when they saw King Vedeha and<\/span>
\nMahosatha. They realized they had been abducted by the enemy.<\/span>
\nMahosatha calmed them down, then placed Princess Pancalacandi<\/span>
\nupon a heap of treasure and presented her to King Vedeha. With<\/span>
\nthe king and the princess side by side, Mahosatha administered<\/span>
\nthe matrimonial ceremony and proclaimed them husband<\/span>
\nand wife. Then he had the soldiers brought out the three<\/span>
\nhundred boats they had hidden. He led the king and the royal<\/span>
\nfamily to the boats and embarked.<\/span>
\nBefore bidding farewell, Mahosatha pointed to the royal family and<\/span>
\nsaid to the king, \u201cMy Lord, this is the king\u2019s Mother, please treat her<\/span>
\nlike your own mother; this is Queen Nanda, your mother-in-law,<\/span>
\nplease treat her the same; this is Prince Pancalacanda, your brotherin-<\/span>
\nlaw, please look after him like your own younger brother; and<\/span>
\nthis is Princess Pancalacandi, your wife and queen, please love her<\/span>
\nwith all your heart.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king vowed to do so.<\/span>
\nHe asked Mahosatha to come along, but the Bodhisatta said he<\/span>
\ncould not desert his men, that he must stay with them and protect\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

them. With these words, the Bodhisatta saluted the king and sent<\/span>
\nhim away.<\/span>
\nThe king and his attendants sailed at a great speed until they reached<\/span>
\nthe first camp that Mahosatha had prepared for them. There, they<\/span>
\ndisembarked and continued their journey on land by elephants,<\/span>
\nhorses and chariots. When they arrived at the next relay point, they<\/span>
\nexchanged their transportation for fresh elephants and horses and<\/span>
\nsoldiers. They continued on this way until they arrived at the City<\/span>
\nof Mithila without delay.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Let the Truth Be Told<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After saying so, he opened the tunnel doors. All the lights came<\/span>
\nablaze. The people inside gave out sighs of relief and all the kings<\/span>
\nwith their retinues came out. They saw the Bodhisatta standing in<\/span>
\nthe wide courtyard with the king, both showing gestures of friendship.<\/span>
\nThen those kings said, \u201cDear Sage, if the door had remained<\/span>
\nshut for a little while longer the air would have run out and all of us<\/span>
\nwould have perished. You have given us our lives.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cMy Lords, you should know that this is not the first time I have<\/span>
\nsaved your lives,\u201d said the Bodhisatta. \u201cDo you remember when all<\/span>
\nthe kingdoms of Jambudvipa had been conquered except our city<\/span>
\nand you went to the park of Pancala ready to drink the cup of victory?\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he told them how King Culani had planned to poison<\/span>
\nthem and how he saved them from being poisoned. They turned to<\/span>
\nCulani and asked him, \u201cIs this true?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cIt is true,\u201d Culani admitted. \u201cI acted on the advice of a bad man.<\/span>
\nMahosatha speaks the truth. I do regret what I have done.\u201d They<\/span>
\nlook at King Culani with reprimand, then they all embraced the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta, and said, \u201cDear Sage, you have been the salvation of us<\/span>
\nall. We owe you our gratitude for having saved our lives.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta said to Culani, \u201cFear not, Sire, fault lies here in association<\/span>
\nwith a false friend. Ask pardon from the kings.\u201d The king<\/span>
\nthen said, \u201cI believed in a bad man. It was my fault. Please pardon<\/span>
\nme. Never will I do such a thing again.\u201d He received their pardon.<\/span>
\nThey confessed their faults to each other and became friends. They<\/span>
\nremained in the tunnel for several days to celebrate their friendship<\/span>
\nand they gave great honor to the Bodhisatta.<\/span>
\nMahosatha\u2019s wisdom and goodness made such a profound impact<\/span><\/p>\n

on King Culani that he invited him to remain in his court: \u201cI will<\/span>
\ngive you anything you want but please do not return to Vedeha.<\/span>
\nWhat can he do for you?\u201d<\/span>
\nBut the sage declined with these words: \u201cWhen one deserts a patron<\/span>
\nfor the sake of gain, it is a disgrace to both oneself and the other. As<\/span>
\nlong as King Vedeha is still alive I shall not leave him.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen the king said to him, \u201cPromise me then, when your king<\/span>
\npasses away you will come to me.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cIf I still live then, I promise I will come.\u201d<\/span>
\nFor days, King Culani treated him with great honor. As for Kevatta,<\/span>
\nhe had nothing else to say, for he knew he had lost the love and<\/span>
\nrespect of his king. At the time of parting, the Bodhisatta said to<\/span>
\nCulani, \u201cDear King, please do not worry about your family. Before<\/span>
\nmy king went back to his kingdom, he made a pledge to me to treat<\/span>
\nyour mother as his own mother, your wife as his mother-in-law, and<\/span>
\nyour son as his younger brother. I married your daughter to him<\/span>
\nwith the proper matrimonial ceremony. I will soon send back your<\/span>
\nmother, your wife, and your son.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king thanked him and presented him with a dowry for his<\/span>
\ndaughter. He gave him three hundred servants and slaves, precious<\/span>
\ngifts, and decorated elephants and horses and chariots.<\/span>
\n\u201cGo, my dear Sage, let King Vedeha see you back in Mithila. And<\/span>
\nsend my regards to Vedeha, my son-in-law.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Welcome Home My Sage<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So the Bodhisatta left Pancala and headed for Mithila. As he approached,<\/span>
\nKing Vedeha ordered his citizens to decorate the city and<\/span>
\nto welcome him, and the citizens did so. The Bodhisatta entered the<\/span>
\ncity and reached the king\u2019s palace; the king rose and embraced him,<\/span>
\nand returned to his throne. He gave him great compliments. Then<\/span>
\nthe king set the drums of festival beating around the city: \u201cLet there<\/span>
\nbe a festival for seven days in honor of our great sage.\u201d<\/span>
\nAt the end of the festival, the Bodhisatta went to the palace and said<\/span>
\nto the king, \u201cSire, King Culani\u2019s mother and wife and son should be<\/span>
\nsent back at once.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cVery good, my son, let us send them back.\u201d King Vedeha paid<\/span>
\nrespect to the three and sent them back to King Culani with the<\/span>
\nthree hundred servants and slaves and the entourage that came with<\/span>
\nMahosatha from Pancala. When this great company reached the city<\/span>
\nof Pancala, the king asked his mother, wife and son how they were<\/span>
\ntreated. They all replied that they were treated with the kindness<\/span>
\nand respect as if they were Vedeha\u2019s own family. This pleased the<\/span>
\nking so and he sent a rich gift to King Vedeha.<\/span>
\nFrom that time forward, King Culani and King Vedeha both lived<\/span>
\nin friendship and harmony.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Virtue of Wisdom<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Back at the palace of Mithila, Princess Pancalacandi became<\/span>
\nvery dear and precious to the king. In the second year after their<\/span>
\nmarriage, she bore him a son. When the boy reached ten years old,<\/span>
\nKing Vedeha passed away. Mahosatha, the Regent, gave the boy a<\/span>
\ngrand coronation and made him the new king.<\/span>
\nRemembering the promise he made to King Culani, he asked the<\/span>
\nyoung king to let him go to Pancala and serve his grandfather.<\/span>
\nThe boy and his mother, Queen Pancalacandi, both pleaded him<\/span>
\nnot to go, but the Bodhisatta told them, \u201cMy promise has been<\/span>
\ngiven to the great king; I have to honor my promise.\u201d So amidst the<\/span>
\nlamentations of the queen, the young king, and the multitude, he<\/span>
\ndeparted with his servants, and came to Pancala City. King Culani,<\/span>
\nhearing of his arrival, came to meet him and led him into the city<\/span>
\nwith great pomp. He gave him great wealth and power.<\/span>
\nMahosatha served King Culani with great wisdom. He brought<\/span>
\nprosperity to the kingdom and peace throughout the continent.<\/span>
\nHe was loved by all. In due time, King Culani made him Prime<\/span>
\nMinister of Pancala with the full authority to administer affairs of<\/span>
\nthe Kingdom. Mahosatha enjoyed a life of happiness in Pancala<\/span>
\nuntil his last breath.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”06 Bhuridatta Jataka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF MORALITY” el_id=”1491827089680-7f37a7a8-b7ad”]\u00a0In this Jataka, the Bodhisatta was born in the realm of the nagas as the son of a naga king.<\/span>
\nNagas are celestial serpents that inhabit the hidden depths below the ocean, far below the fields<\/span>
\nand woodlands of the world of men. Their kingdom glitters with rare jewels and precious<\/span>
\nminerals. Nagas possess magical powers and can assume human form. From time to time,<\/span>
\nthey leave their realm and mingle with human beings who inhabit the surface of the earth.<\/span>
\nThe archenemy of the naga is the garuda, the powerful celestial bird that feeds on them.<\/span>
\nWhen Bhuridatta, the naga prince, visited the Tavatimsa Heaven, he saw Sakka\u2019s opulent estate<\/span>
\nand the exceedingly delightful splendor of heaven. It inspired him to increase his store of merit<\/span>
\nby observing moral precepts17 as a way to free himself from the physical form of the naga and to<\/span>
\nfulfill his wish to be reborn among the angels. Henceforth, he dedicated himself to the pursuit<\/span>
\nof the Virtue of Morality.<\/span>
\nMorality is a virtue that can be developed through learning how to control one\u2019s thought,<\/span>
\nspeech, and action, to do only good deeds and to avoid bad ones. Good deeds are defined<\/span>
\nas acts of kindness and generosity. Bad deeds can be avoided through observation of moral<\/span>
\nprecepts, the most basic of which include abstention from killing, stealing, committing sexual<\/span>
\nmisconduct, lying, and intoxication. Those who cultivate the Virtue of Morality will be blessed<\/span>
\nwith a peaceful and happy life, free from illnesses. At the time of their death, they will be<\/span>
\nreborn into a happy destination.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Jealous King<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

There once ruled a king in Benares who had a son named<\/span>
\nBrahmadatta-Kumara (Prince Brahmadatta). When the son grew up<\/span>
\nthe king appointed him regent. The regent was wise and<\/span>
\ncapable and was loved by the people of Benares. His reputation<\/span>
\ngrew far and wide. The king was very proud to have such a<\/span>
\ntalented son.<\/span>
\nOne day, the king went to the royal park accompanied by his close<\/span>
\nattendants and concubines. As he was sitting alone enjoying himself,<\/span>
\nhe overheard two ladies-in-waiting talking about the prince.<\/span>
\nOne of them said, \u201cThe prince is so incredibly handsome. Not only<\/span>
\nis he an expert in the art of warfare, but he is also incomparable<\/span>
\nas a judge. No one in this kingdom, even the king, can match his<\/span>
\nintelligence and glory. Once he ascends to the throne, our kingdom<\/span>
\nwill be much greater than it is now.\u201d<\/span>
\nHearing this, the king felt slighted.<\/span>
\nAs time went on, the king saw an increasing number of his subjects<\/span>
\ngrow more and more loyal to his son. His admiration for his son<\/span>
\ngradually turned into jealousy. As his jealousy grew more intense,<\/span>
\nhe began to feel paranoid, fearing that his son would overthrow<\/span>
\nhim. One day, the king summoned his son to the throne hall and<\/span>
\nsaid to him, \u201cSon, I begin to have questions about your loyalty.<\/span>
\nIt is best that you leave Benares, and return only after my death<\/span>
\nto assume the kingdom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The prince had no idea why his father doubted him. He was<\/span>
\nsaddened by it, but as a good son he obeyed the king without<\/span>
\ndefiance. After saluting his father, he went out alone into the forest.<\/span>
\nHe trekked through the various forests, and upon reaching the shore<\/span>
\nof the Yamuna River next to the sea, he exclaimed, \u201cOh, this is<\/span>
\nsuch a beautiful place, I will settle down here and make a home for<\/span>
\nmyself.\u201d He found an appropriate spot and built a hut of leaves on<\/span>
\nit. Then he put on a garb made of tree bark and lived on roots and<\/span>
\nfruits like a hermit.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Naga Woman<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the hidden depths below the ocean, far below the fields and woodlands<\/span>
\nof the world of men, dwell the nagas. At that time, a young<\/span>
\nfemale naga had lost her husband. The life of a naga woman without<\/span>
\na husband was quite lonely. Wherever she went she saw happy naga<\/span>
\ncouples cuddling one another. She yearned to find a husband for<\/span>
\nherself and decided to go to the human realm to look for one. As she<\/span>
\nwas wandering by the seashore, she found human foot-prints and<\/span>
\nfollowed the tracks which led her to the hut of leaves.<\/span>
\nMeanwhile, Brahmadatta-Kumara was away looking for food. She<\/span>
\nentered into the hut, and as she saw a wooden bed and the empty<\/span>
\ninterior. She thought to herself, \u201cThis is the dwelling place of some<\/span>
\nascetic. I will find out whether this ascetic is from faith or not.<\/span>
\nI will adorn his bed with flowers and perfume and if he is a lover at<\/span>
\nheart and not a true ascetic, he will be drawn to the fragrance bed<\/span>
\nand indulge in it. Then I will take him and make him my husband.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo she went back to the naga world and collected divine flowers and<\/span>
\nperfume and came back to the hut to prepare a bed of flowers and<\/span>
\nadorned the hut with garlands. Then she departed to her abode at<\/span>
\nthe naga realm.<\/span>
\nWhen the prince returned and entered the hut he was surprised by<\/span>
\nwhat he saw. He wondered, \u201cWho has adorned my bed and my hut<\/span>
\nwith these beautiful flowers and garlands?\u201d Attracted by the sweet<\/span>
\nscent of perfume, he laid down on the bed of flowers and fell asleep.<\/span>
\nThe next day he rose at sunrise and went off to collect fruits,<\/span>
\nleaving the hut untidy. The female naga came up, and upon seeing<\/span><\/p>\n

the withered flowers, she knew at once that this was a man of desire<\/span>
\nand not a religious ascetic. She smiled and said, \u201cI shall be able to<\/span>
\ncapture him and make him my husband.\u201d She took away the old<\/span>
\nflowers and brought new ones to spread on a fresh bed and adorned<\/span>
\nthe hut with garlands and perfume, and she scattered flowers on the<\/span>
\npathway as well. Then she returned to the naga world.<\/span>
\nThat night the prince slept soundly on the bed of flowers dreaming<\/span>
\nsweet dreams. Upon waking up he said to himself, \u201cI must find out<\/span>
\nwho adorns this hut?\u201d So instead of going out for food, he stayed<\/span>
\nconcealed in a place not far from the hut. Then he noticed a woman<\/span>
\nof great beauty coming along the path to the hermitage, her hands<\/span>
\ncarrying flowers and garlands. Captivated by her beauty the prince<\/span>
\nfell in love with her at once. He quietly entered the hut as the naga<\/span>
\nwoman was preparing the bed.<\/span>
\n\u201cWho are you, dear lady?\u201d asked the prince.<\/span>
\n\u201cMy lord, I am a naga woman,\u201d she answered.<\/span>
\n\u201cWhy are you here and why do you adorn my hut with flowers and<\/span>
\ngarlands?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cI am a widow without a husband. As I saw the happiness of those<\/span>
\nnaga women who had husbands, I longed to find myself a husband<\/span>
\nto fulfill my own happiness. I saw your hut and I came in to find<\/span>
\nout who was in it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The prince told her he was Brahmadatta-Kumara, the son of<\/span>
\nthe King of Benares, who came here in exile because his father<\/span>
\ndrove him away. He looked at her with loving eyes and told her, \u201cI<\/span>
\nwill be happy to be your husband.\u201d She looked at him and fell in<\/span>
\nlove with him and said, \u201cI will be happy to be your wife.\u201d<\/span>
\nFrom that time on they lived together harmoniously in the<\/span>
\nhermitage. By her naga power, she made the hermitage beautiful and<\/span>
\nextravagant. Thenceforth, he feasted on divine food and drink<\/span>
\ninstead of roots and fruits from the forest. After a while she<\/span>
\nconceived and brought forth a son whom they called Sagara-Brahmadatta.<\/span>
\nSoon after, she brought forth a daughter and they called<\/span>
\nher Samuddaja.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Return of the Prince<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One day, a forester from Benares came upon their hermitage and<\/span>
\nsaw the prince and recognized him. The prince gave him water<\/span>
\nand fed him. Meanwhile, the king of Benares had just passed away.<\/span>
\nAfter the king\u2019s burial the ministers got together and<\/span>
\ndeliberated; they said, \u201cA kingdom without a king cannot<\/span>
\nsurvive, we must find out whether the prince is still alive, and if so,<\/span>
\nwhere to find him.\u201d When the forester arrived back to the city and<\/span>
\nheard the news of the king\u2019s death, he went to the ministers and<\/span>
\ntold them that he had met the prince in the forest on the shore of<\/span>
\nthe Yamuna River.<\/span>
\nThe ministers rewarded the forester and asked him to take them to<\/span>
\nthe prince. They found him and invited him to come back in order<\/span>
\nto assume the throne. The prince spoke to his naga wife and asked<\/span>
\nher to come along with him and be his queen. The naga woman told<\/span>
\nhim it would not be appropriate because she was of a naga breed,<\/span>
\nand as such, possessed deadly poison and would be unfit to live<\/span>
\namong humans. The prince pleaded but the naga woman would not<\/span>
\nchange her mind. She then said to him, \u201cYou must go for the sake of<\/span>
\nyour people. I myself cannot go. But our children are of the race of<\/span>
\nmen and you should take them with you. But because they are of a<\/span>
\nwatery nature and therefore delicate, they would not survive a long<\/span>
\njourney if they are exposed to the harsh weather. Have a tank built<\/span>
\nand fill it with water and let them play in the water. When you get<\/span>
\nthem to the city, build a lake for them near the palace. In this way<\/span>
\nthey will not suffer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With tears in their eyes, the prince and his wife embraced one another<\/span>
\nand bade farewell. The prince had a tank built and put it<\/span>
\non a cart and filled it with water so the two children could<\/span>
\nrefresh themselves during the long trip. Upon their arrival at<\/span>
\nBenares the prince was crowned as the new king. He had a lake<\/span>
\nbuilt for his two children for them to play in.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Tortoise Story<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One day when the water was let into the lake, a large tortoise<\/span>
\nentered and could not find his way out. While the prince and the<\/span>
\nprincess were playing about in the lake, the tortoise put his head<\/span>
\nout of the water and looked at them. When the two saw him,<\/span>
\nthey were frightened. They rushed out of the water screaming<\/span>
\nthat a water demon was scaring them. The king ordered his men to<\/span>
\nfind the creature and capture it. After he was captured the king<\/span>
\nordered the tortoise to be thrown into the whirlpool of the<\/span>
\nYamuna as a way of punishment. The whirlpool sucked the<\/span>
\ntortoise deep down until he was drawn to the dwelling of the<\/span>
\nnagas where he was recaptured by some young sons of<\/span>
\nDhatarattha, the naga king.<\/span>
\nFearing for his life the tortoise devised a plan to get away from<\/span>
\nthe nagas. He said to them he was a messenger from the king of<\/span>
\nBenares who sent him there to offer his daughter to the naga king.<\/span>
\nThe naga king was skeptical when he saw his ugly appearance.<\/span>
\nThe tortoise said the naga king should not be fooled by his<\/span>
\nmean appearance and explained that his king has many<\/span>
\nmessengers; that men did his business on the dry land, birds in the<\/span>
\nair, and he in the water.<\/span>
\nThe tortoise made up the story that the King of Benares had established<\/span>
\nfriendship with all the kings of Jambudvipa; he now<\/span>
\nwished to make friendship with the naga king and had offered his<\/span>
\ndaughter Princess Samuddaja to be his wife as a way to bond their<\/span>
\nfriendship. The clever tortoise was so convincing in his manner of<\/span>
\nspeech that the naga king believed his story. He appointed four<\/span>
\nnaga youths as his emissaries to escort the tortoise back to<\/span>
\nBenares, pay tribute to the king, and fix a date for the marriage<\/span>
\nwith his daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the way, the tortoise saw a lotus-pond, and wishing to<\/span>
\nescape, he tricked the naga youths into letting him in the<\/span>
\npond to gather some lotus flowers for the royal family. The<\/span>
\nnaga youths let the tortoise in the pond and transformed<\/span>
\nthemselves into four hand-some young men before arriving at<\/span>
\nBenares.<\/span>
\nKing Brahmadatta of Benares received the naga youths with<\/span>
\nhonor and upon finding out the purpose of their visit, the king<\/span>
\nremarked, \u201cNever has a man been known to wed his daughter<\/span>
\nto a naga. We humans are of purer blood and a higher race.<\/span>
\nSuch a match is utterly unfit. How could anyone think of such<\/span>
\na thing?\u201d T he naga youths were offended by the king\u2019s<\/span>
\nscornful remark. They were tempted to kill him on the spot with<\/span>
\ntheir poison breath, but controlled their anger and departed back<\/span>
\nto the naga realm.<\/span>
\nDhatarattha was enraged when he heard the report from the naga<\/span>
\nyouths. In his wrath, he ordered his naga army to assemble<\/span>
\nand be ready to attack Benares. He told the naga army to scare<\/span>
\noff its population until their king agreed to hand off his daughter<\/span>
\nto him, but to harm no one. The nagas invaded every corner of<\/span>
\nBenares. The population of Benares saw snakes coming out on<\/span>
\nthe streets, in the rivers and lakes, on the roofs, in their homes,<\/span>
\ntheir bedrooms, and every corner of the city. The snakes flared<\/span>
\nt heir hoods a nd threatened the trembling crowds, saying that<\/span>
\nunless their king gave his daughter to the naga king, they would all<\/span>
\ndie.<\/span>
\nIn terror, King Brahmadatta gave in to the naga king\u2019s demand. The<\/span>
\nnaga king retired his army and through his magical power, made a<\/span>
\nglorious city of jewels to appear a good distance away as the place to<\/span>
\nreceive the king\u2019s daughter. He dispatched a complimentary tribute<\/span>
\nto King Brahmadatta and set a date for him to deliver his daughter.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Naga Bodhisatta<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Princess Samuddaja was taken up into the newly created palace<\/span>
\nand led to a divinely adorned bed surrounded by naga women who<\/span>
\nassumed human form. As soon as she had laid down on the divine<\/span>
\nbed she fell into a deep sleep and the palace disappeared.<\/span>
\nSamuddaja woke up in the naga kingdom and found herself in the<\/span>
\nrich city glittered with jewels and precious stones. It was a sight so<\/span>
\nbeautiful and unlike anything she had seen in the human world. She<\/span>
\nhad no idea this was not the realm of men. The naga king wanted<\/span>
\nto conceal this fact from her. He ordered all of his naga subjects to<\/span>
\nassume human form; anyone who betrayed this and showed any<\/span>
\nsigns of his or her snake-nature to Samuddaja would be severely<\/span>
\npunished. Therefore, not one naga dared to appear as a snake before<\/span>
\nher. So she lived affectionately and harmoniously with him, not<\/span>
\nknowing that he was a naga.<\/span>
\nIn the course of time Samuddaja conceived and brought forth<\/span>
\na son, and they named him Sudassana. Soon after, she bore a<\/span>
\nsecond son, whom they called Datta. Datta was a blessed being, for<\/span>
\nhe was a Bodhisatta born into the world of naga in that lifetime.<\/span>
\nThen Samuddaja bore another son whom they called Subhoga, and<\/span>
\na fourth whom they called Arittha. Yet though she had given birth<\/span>
\nto these four sons, she still did not know it was the world of the<\/span>
\nnagas that she lived in.<\/span>
\nBut one day the infant Arittha was told by some playful naga youths<\/span>
\nthat his mother was a human, not a naga. To prove this, Arittha<\/span>
\nassumed a serpent\u2019s form while being nursed by his mother. When<\/span>
\nshe saw his serpent form she uttered a great cry in terror and threw<\/span><\/p>\n

him on the ground injuring one of his eyes. When the king learned<\/span>
\nwhat Arittha had done he ordered him to be executed. Because<\/span>
\nshe loved her son, Samuddaja pleaded to the king to let him live.<\/span>
\nSoftened by her plea, the king consented. It was that day that Samuddaja<\/span>
\nfound out she had been living in the realm of the nagas all this<\/span>
\ntime. But by then, she was used to the happiness that everyone had<\/span>
\nprovided her and she found no reason to be resentful.<\/span>
\nAs the four naga princes grew up, their father gave them each a<\/span>
\nkingdom. Once a month, the three sons went to pay respect to their<\/span>
\nparents. But Datta, the Bodhisatta, went every fortnight.<\/span>
\nIn his previous lifetimes, Datta had accumulated abundant wisdom<\/span>
\nand merit. So when he was born into the naga world, his wisdom<\/span>
\nand knowledge of Dhamma and the truth of nature exceeded<\/span>
\neveryone else\u2019s. His fame went far and wide. Sakka, king of<\/span>
\nTavatimsa Heaven, heard of his reputation and invited him to<\/span>
\nvisit his heaven. During his visit one day Sakka asked his angels a<\/span>
\ndifficult question about Dhamma and none could answer it. Datta,<\/span>
\nwas the only one who was able to enlighten them with the answer.<\/span>
\nSakka was impressed with this and paid him great honor. He<\/span>
\naddressed to him, \u201cO Datta, you are endowed with a wisdom as<\/span>
\nbroad as the earth. Henceforth, you shall be called Bhuridatta<\/span>
\n(meaning Datta the Wise One.\u201d From then on, this was his name.<\/span>
\nFrom that time forth he went to pay homage to Sakka regularly.<\/span>
\nUpon seeing Sakka\u2019s opulent estate and the exceedingly delightful<\/span>
\nsplendor of the angelic world, he thought to himself, \u201cThe world<\/span><\/p>\n

of heaven is marvelous indeed. These divine treasures had been<\/span>
\nbrought about by the virtue of merit. What am I to do with this<\/span>
\nfrog-eating snake-nature? I must find a way to free myself from the<\/span>
\nphysical form of the naga and be reborn in the realm of the angels.<\/span>
\nTo achieve this, I must increase my store of merit by observing high<\/span>
\nmoral precepts.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe made the following resolution:<\/span>
\n\u201cI resolve to keep my precepts pure. I will avoid all wrongdoings.<\/span>
\nI will not kill, steal, engage in sexual misconduct, lie, or become<\/span>
\nintoxicated. I will cause harm to no one. I will not give in to anger<\/span>
\nand hatred. I will uphold the moral precepts even if it means giving<\/span>
\nup my life to do so.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter so vowing, he returned to the naga realm and told his parents<\/span>
\nof his intention. His father advised him to observe his precepts<\/span>
\nwithin the naga realm and not to venture outside, lest harm may<\/span>
\ncome to him. He took his father\u2019s advice and began to practice<\/span>
\nabstinence in the quiet places of the naga realm. But his naga<\/span>
\nmaidens kept seducing him and disrupting his concentration. So he<\/span>
\ndecided to leave the naga realm to find a peaceful place in the realm<\/span>
\nof men to complete his mission. He emerged from the naga world<\/span>
\nand came to the shore of the Yamuna River near the ocean. There,<\/span>
\nhe found a peaceful spot under a banyan tree and settled down on<\/span>
\nan anthill to meditate. He made the following resolution:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI will fulfill my precepts here. Should anyone have need for my<\/span>
\nskin, or muscles, or bones, or blood, let him take them at will. I will<\/span>
\nnot react with anger or hatred.\u201d<\/span>
\nAnd he lay down and observed his precepts until dawn. The<\/span>
\nBodhisatta was thus able to successfully keep his precepts for a long,<\/span>
\nlong time.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Vicious Brahmin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At that time there lived a Brahmin hunter by the name of Nesada.<\/span>
\nHe lived in a village not far from the city gates of Benares. Every day<\/span>
\nhe would go out into the forest with his son to hunt for animals.<\/span>
\nOne day they failed to find even the smallest animal, so they went<\/span>
\ndeeper and deeper into the forest until they reached a landing at the<\/span>
\nbank of the Yamuna River. There, they saw footprints of animals<\/span>
\nthat went down to the river to drink. So they set themselves up in a<\/span>
\nhiding place to wait for the animals to come by. By twilight, a deer<\/span>
\ncame to the river to drink and the Brahmin hunter shot an arrow at<\/span>
\nit. The arrowed pierced through its leg and it fled in terror, leaving<\/span>
\na stream of blood on the ground. They pursued the deer and caught<\/span>
\nup with it by nightfall and they killed it. By that time it was too dark<\/span>
\nto travel. So they went back to the river bank, stopped at a banyan<\/span>
\ntree and climbed up the tree to spend the night there.<\/span>
\nWhen morning came, the Brahmin hunter woke early to hunt<\/span>
\nmore animals while his son still slept. Meanwhile Bhuridatta had<\/span>
\njust completed his hibernation and left his naga form to assume the<\/span>
\nform of a young man wearing jeweled attire. He came to the river<\/span>
\nbank for a wash. The Brahmin hunter saw him and was captivated<\/span>
\nby his glorious appearance. He asked him, \u201cWho are you, my lord?<\/span>
\nYou look too magnificent to be a human. Are you a god, a yakkha,<\/span>
\nor a naga?\u201d<\/span>
\nBhuridatta’s first instinct was not to tell the Brahmin hunter the<\/span>
\ntruth for fear that the Brahmin hunter might bring danger to him.<\/span>
\nBut he thought, \u201cI have taken my vow of precepts; I must speak<\/span>
\nonly the truth.\u201d So he told the Brahmin hunter that he was a naga.<\/span><\/p>\n

After having said so, he sensed the Brahmin hunter\u2019s cruel nature<\/span>
\nand worried that the Brahmin hunter would betray him to a<\/span>
\nsnake charmer and so hindered his practice of the precepts. He<\/span>
\nanticipated that it would be wise if he talked the Brahmin<\/span>
\nhunter into staying away from that area and leaving him alone<\/span>
\nto contemplate his precepts.<\/span>
\nSo he told the Brahmin hunter of the glory and splendors of his<\/span>
\nnaga world, and invited him to come to the naga kingdom with<\/span>
\nhim and enrich himself with the wealth there. The Brahmin hunter<\/span>
\naccepted his invitation with enthusiasm and he took his son along.<\/span>
\nBhuridatta led them to the naga kingdom and indulged them with<\/span>
\ngreat luxury and pleasure. Bhuridatta was thus able to continue his<\/span>
\ncontemplation without interruption. Every fortnight he would go<\/span>
\nto pay respect to his parents in the naga realm.<\/span>
\nOne year went by and the Brahmin hunter began to feel<\/span>
\ndiscontent with his new lifestyle and longed to return to the<\/span>
\nworld of men. He talked his son into leaving the naga world<\/span>
\nwith him. The Brahmin hunter went to Bhuridatta and asked<\/span>
\nfor his permission to leave. He lied to Bhuridatta that he was<\/span>
\nleaving to pursue a holy life so that he, too, would end up in the<\/span>
\nheavenly realm after he died. Bhuridatta let him go and offered to<\/span>
\ngive a divine jewel to the Brahmin hunter as a gift. But the<\/span>
\nBrahmin hunter turned it down to convince the Bodhisatta that<\/span>
\nhis intent to become an ascetic was genuine. So the father and son<\/span>
\nreturned home and continued their former way of life.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Garuda<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Although known for their powers and magical abilities, nagas are<\/span>
\nno match for garudas, a type of celestial being that is half-bird, halfhuman,<\/span>
\nwith the face and lower body of a bird and the upper body<\/span>
\nof a human. Garudas live in the celestial forest of Himavanta and<\/span>
\nfeed on nagas. Like nagas, garudas possess supernatural powers and<\/span>
\ncan change their physical form at will.<\/span>
\nAt that time a powerful garuda was flying over the naga region<\/span>
\nhunting nagas for food. He saw a naga swimming in the ocean,<\/span>
\nswooped down and seized it by the head. He then carried it into the<\/span>
\nHimavanta forest. Nearby, a hermit was dwelling in a hut of leaves.<\/span>
\nNot far from the hut stood a great banyan tree. The hermit relied on<\/span>
\nthe shade of the banyan tree during the day to meditate.<\/span>
\nAs the garuda flew closely over the banyan tree, the naga twined its<\/span>
\ntail around the tree to try to escape. The garuda flew up to heaven<\/span>
\nwith its great strength and carried the naga with him and also<\/span>
\nuprooted the banyan tree along with it. After having eaten the naga,<\/span>
\nthe garuda recognized the tree and was troubled by it, thinking,<\/span>
\n\u201cThis tree was of a great service to the hermit who relies on its shade<\/span>
\nfor meditation. By destroying the tree would an evil consequence<\/span>
\nfollow me? I better go ask him.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo he transformed himself into a young man and went to the<\/span>
\nhermitage. There, he saw the hermit frantically smoothing down<\/span>
\nthe earth where the banyan tree used to stand. The garuda asked<\/span>
\nhim what had once grown in that spot. The hermit told him that a<\/span>
\nbanyan tree used to stand on that spot and was uprooted by a garuda<\/span>
\nwho was carrying off a naga that had twined its tail around the tree.<\/span><\/p>\n

The garuda asked him what bad kamma would follow the garuda.<\/span>
\nThe hermit told him that if the garuda did it without intention it<\/span>
\nwould not cause any demerit; and if the naga did not seize the tree<\/span>
\nwith an intent to hurt it, he also would not attract demerit. The<\/span>
\ngaruda was pleased to hear this. He disclosed to the hermit that<\/span>
\nhe was in fact that garuda. To express his appreciation, he taught<\/span>
\nthe hermit a powerful spell for subduing nagas and snakes and for<\/span>
\nmaking medicine to cure snakebites.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Snake Charmer<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At that time there lived in Benares a Brahmin by the name of<\/span>
\nAlam-bayana who got himself deeply into debt. To flee from his<\/span>
\ncreditors, he left the city of Benares and went into the forest.<\/span>
\nAfter traveling successive days and nights, he arrived at the<\/span>
\nregion of Himavanta and came upon the hermitage where the<\/span>
\nbanyan tree was uprooted. He met the hermit and asked to stay<\/span>
\nwith him and served him. The hermit let him stay and treated him<\/span>
\nkindly. The Brahmin served the hermit diligently and the hermit<\/span>
\nrewarded him with the knowledge of the garuda\u2019s magic spell.<\/span>
\nSoon after, the Brahmin left the hermitage and arrived at the bank<\/span>
\nof the Yamuna River after a long journey. He sat down to take a rest<\/span>
\nand began to practice his magical spell. At that very moment several<\/span>
\nnaga youths who came to wait on Bhuridatta were playing in the<\/span>
\nwater nearby. They carried with them the divine jewel that<\/span>
\nBhuridatta had offered to the Brahmin hunter earlier, the same<\/span>
\none that the Brahmin hunter declined to accept, and left the jewel<\/span>
\non the bank. Upon hearing the spell, the naga trembled with fear<\/span>
\nthinking that a garuda was coming to attack them. They plunged<\/span>
\ninto the earth and fled in terror, forgetting to take the divine jewel<\/span>
\nwith them. Seeing what had happened, Alambayana exclaimed,<\/span>
\n\u201cThis spell is truly wondrous!\u201d Delighted with his good fortune, he<\/span>
\npicked up the jewel and continued into the forest.<\/span>
\nNearby, the Brahmin hunter and his son were hunting near the river<\/span>
\nbank. They saw Alambayana holding the jewel in his hands. The<\/span>
\nfather said to his son, \u201cIs this not the jewel that Bhuridatta gave to<\/span>
\nus?\u201d The son observed the divine jewel and confirmed, \u201cYes, this is<\/span>
\nthe same one.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin hunter became jealous. He wanted to get the jewel<\/span>
\nfor himself. \u201cAfter all, this jewel was supposed to be mine,\u201d he\u00a0exclaimed and scolded himself for having turned it down when the<\/span>
\njewel was offered to him by Bhuridatta. Then he devised a scheme<\/span>
\nto cheat Alambayana out of his jewel. He approached Alambayana<\/span>
\nand told him that the jewel was cursed and would bring bad luck to<\/span>
\nthe one who possessed it, unless the owner knew how to take care<\/span>
\nof it in certain ways. He said he knew how to do so and he offered<\/span>
\nto buy the jewel from Alambayana, but Alambayana refused to sell<\/span>
\nit. After further conversations Alambayana said, \u201cI will not sell this<\/span>
\njewel to anyone, but I will give it to the one who can show me where<\/span>
\nto find a naga.\u201d In his mind, a naga was much more valuable than<\/span>
\nthe jewel now that he had a spell to subdue it.<\/span>
\nGreed struck the Brahmin hunter. He told Alambayana to follow<\/span>
\nhim for he knew where to find such a naga. When the son learned<\/span>
\nof his father\u2019s disgraceful motive he was ashamed by it. He reminded<\/span>
\nhis father, \u201cBhuridatta has done you nothing but good. How can<\/span>
\nyou betray a friend who has treated you so well? Your actions will<\/span>
\nbring you retribution in hell.\u201d<\/span>
\nTo which the Brahmin replied, \u201cDon\u2019t worry, my son. We are<\/span>
\nBrahmins and Brahmins are the blessed ones. A Brahmin\u2019s sin can<\/span>
\nbe forgiven if he makes sacrifices to the gods. I will make sacrifices<\/span>
\nand my sin will be washed away.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe son knew that this was wrong to do and kept pleading for<\/span>
\nhis father to give up the vicious deed, but the Brahmin would not<\/span>
\nlisten. Feeling disgusted, he said to his father, \u201cI will not be a part<\/span>
\nof such an evil deed and I will not associate with such an evildoer.\u201d<\/span>
\nUpon saying this, he left his father and never returned to see him<\/span>
\nagain from that day onward.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Naga is Captured<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Unaffected by his son\u2019s protest, the Brahmin hunter took Alambayana<\/span>
\nto where Bhuridatta was fasting and said, \u201cHere is your naga.<\/span>
\nNow give me the jewel.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta heard the voice and opened his eyes. Upon seeing<\/span>
\nthe Brahmin hunter, he thought sadly, \u201cI took this fellow to my<\/span>
\nnaga home and gave him all the good things; he would not accept<\/span>
\nmy jewel and now he comes here with a snake charmer. I could<\/span>
\nkill him with a blast of my poisoned breath, but if I become angry<\/span>
\nwith him my moral character would be jeopardized. My utmost<\/span>
\nduty is to fulfill moral precepts until perfection. This must remain<\/span>
\ninviolate. So whether this snake charmer cuts me into pieces or cooks<\/span>
\nme or mutilates me, I must not be angry with him.\u201d So, closing his<\/span>
\neyes and letting go of his emotion, he lay perfectly motionless.<\/span>
\nAlambayana, being delighted at seeing the naga and caring not for<\/span>
\nthe jewel, threw the jewel into the Brahmin hunter\u2019s hands. But the<\/span>
\njewel slipped out of his hands and as soon as it hit the ground it<\/span>
\ndisappeared back into the naga world. And so the Brahmin hunter<\/span>
\nfound himself dispossessed of three things: the priceless jewel,<\/span>
\nBhuridatta\u2019s friendship, and his son. He was desolate and went off<\/span>
\nto his home lamenting like a broken man.<\/span>
\nAs if preparing for war, Alambayana anointed his body with divine<\/span>
\ndrugs to protect himself from poison and ate some of it to fortify<\/span>
\nhimself within. Then he chanted the divine spell, went up to the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta and seized him by the tail, opened his mouth and spat<\/span>
\nthe drug into it. After drugging the naga with his magic potion,<\/span>
\nAlambayana crushed his bones, seized him by his tail and pounded<\/span>
\nhim against the earth. The Bodhisatta suffered unbearable pain but<\/span>
\ndid not allow himself to feel anger.<\/span><\/p>\n

Having thus made the naga prince helpless, the cruel Alambayana<\/span>
\nmade a basket out of vine and threw him into it. He then traveled<\/span>
\nto village after village exhibiting the great serpent and making him<\/span>
\nperform for the crowd. Forced to follow every command, the naga<\/span>
\ndanced, assumed various colors, shapes and forms, spitted forth<\/span>
\nwater and smoke, and caused a great wonder among the villagers.<\/span>
\nAlthough he could easily kill his captor, he did not do it so he would<\/span>
\nnot violate the precept. The people were impressed with the astonishing<\/span>
\nperformances and they gave the snake charmer abundant<\/span>
\nmoney.<\/span>
\nWhen he reached the city of Benares, Alambayana announced<\/span>
\nto King Sagara-Brahmadatta18 of Benares that he would<\/span>
\narrange a special exhibit of the naga\u2019s magical performance before<\/span>
\nhim. Having already heard of the snake charmer\u2019s reputation, the<\/span>
\nking allowed his royal courtyard to be cleared for the occasion<\/span>
\nand enthusiastically awaited for the day of the performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Queen\u2019s Bad Dream<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On the day the Bodhisatta was seized by Alambayana, Queen<\/span>
\nSamuddaja had a dream that a dark man with red eyes had cut off<\/span>
\nher arm with a sword and carried it away, leaving a great stream of<\/span>
\nblood. She woke up in terror. She surmised that some misfortune<\/span>
\nmust have come either to her sons or her husband. She was particularly<\/span>
\nworried about Bhuridatta as the other three sons remained safe<\/span>
\nin the naga world but Bhuridatta had ventured into the unfriendly<\/span>
\nworld of humans. At the end of the fortnight when the Bodhisatta<\/span>
\nwas due for his visit with her, he failed to show up. This worried<\/span>
\nher even more. After one month had passed she could no longer<\/span>
\nbear her anxiety. Noticing what was wrong, her eldest son Sudassana<\/span>
\nasked her what it was that made her so distressed. She told him that<\/span>
\ndanger must have come upon his younger brother, for he had failed<\/span>
\nto show up two fortnights in a row.<\/span>
\nSudassana comforted her and promised to find his brother and<\/span>
\nbring him back. He assembled the other two brothers and discussed<\/span>
\nthe strategy for the search. \u201cIf all three of us go in one direction<\/span>
\nthere will be much delay,\u201d said Sudassana, \u201cWe must separate and<\/span>
\ngo to three different territories: one to the world of the angels, one<\/span>
\nto Himavanta, and one to the world of men.\u201d And they assigned<\/span>
\nthemselves each to a separate territory.<\/span>
\nSudassana chose to go to the world of men. He disguised himself as<\/span>
\nan ascetic and put on the garb of a yogi.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta had a sister, Accimukhi, born of another mother.<\/span>
\nShe had great love for the Bodhisatta. When she saw Sudassana<\/span>
\ngetting ready for the trip she asked to go with him. \u201cSister,\u201d he told<\/span><\/p>\n

her, \u201cyou cannot go with me, for it is inappropriate for a yogi to have<\/span>
\na female companion.\u201d \u201cIn that case, I will become a little frog and I<\/span>
\nwill hide inside your matted hair,\u201d she said. On his consenting, she<\/span>
\ntransformed herself into a young frog and hid inside his matted hair.<\/span>
\nSudassana figured the most logical place to begin his search would<\/span>
\nbe in the place where the Bodhisatta was observing his precepts. So<\/span>
\nhe went there first. When he saw traces of blood in the area, he felt<\/span>
\ncertain that Bhuridatta had been captured by a snake charmer. He<\/span>
\nfollowed the track, which led him to the village where Alambayana<\/span>
\nhad his first show performed. When the villagers told him that a<\/span>
\nsnake charmer had come to their village and performed a naga show,<\/span>
\nhe asked them where the snake charmer was headed afterwards, and<\/span>
\nthey told him the direction. He followed the trail until he<\/span>
\nfinally came to the city of Benares.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Duel<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the people of Benares were buzzing about the<\/span>
\nevent that was about to take place in the king\u2019s royal courtyard<\/span>
\nthat day. Sudassana followed the crowd to the king\u2019s courtyard.<\/span>
\nAt that very moment Alambayana was arriving with his<\/span>
\nattendants who were carrying a large ornamented basket. Inside<\/span>
\nthe basket was the naga prince. A great crowd collected and a seat<\/span>
\nwas placed for the king. Sudassana found his way to the edge of<\/span>
\nthe crowd. When the king was properly seated, Alambayana<\/span>
\nordered Bhuridatta to come out. The naga put out his head to<\/span>
\nsurvey the crowd. As he looked, he saw his brother so he came out<\/span>
\nof the basket and went toward him. The crowd, seeing the naga<\/span>
\napproach, retreated in fear. Sudassana was left there alone. The<\/span>
\nnaga went up to him and laid his head on his foot and wept, and<\/span>
\nSudassana also wept. The naga then went back into the basket.<\/span>
\nAlambayana, looking from the distance, thought the naga must<\/span>
\nhave bitten the yogi. He went up to the yogi and consoled him,<\/span>
\n\u201cFear not, dear yogi; as long as I am here no naga or snake can<\/span>
\nharm you, for I possess the divine potion that can cure all<\/span>
\nsnakebites.\u201d<\/span>
\nSudassana insulted him with these words, \u201cThis lame snake of yours<\/span>
\ncan never harm me. I am no match for him. I am the most powerful<\/span>
\nsnake tamer in the land.\u201d<\/span>
\nAlambayana was offended when he heard this. He turned to the<\/span>
\ncrowd and said, \u201cThis arrogant recluse claims he can beat my naga.<\/span>
\nLet him duel with my king of snakes and see who is more powerful.\u201d<\/span>
\nSudassana responded, \u201cYour challenge is accepted. Let your big,<\/span>
\nclumsy snake fight with my little frog.\u201d He asked the frog to come<\/span>
\nout from his matted hair and spit three drops of venom onto his<\/span><\/p>\n

hand. Then he threatened Alambayana with these words, \u201cThis<\/span>
\nlittle frog is my half sister, daughter of a naga king. She possesses<\/span>
\nimmense power. One drop of this celestial venom would blow up<\/span>
\nthis city. Shall I show you?\u201d On hearing this, Alambayana shrank<\/span>
\nback and the people cried out in fear.<\/span>
\nKing Sagara-Brahmadatta appealed to the yogi, \u201cO reverend, please<\/span>
\ndo not let the venom harm my city and my people. Can you please<\/span>
\ndestroy it?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe yogi replied, \u201cIt is too late, now that the frog has let out her<\/span>
\nferocious venom. If I let this venom touch the ground it will spread<\/span>
\nthe poison throughout the land and kill all the trees and crops.<\/span>
\nIf I throw it in the air, it will spread and cause a great drought. And<\/span>
\nif I throw it into the water it will kill all the creatures in the river.\u201d<\/span>
\nAlambayana was listening to the conversation with open ears and<\/span>
\nwatchful eyes. He did not believe a word the yogi was saying.<\/span>
\nHe turned to the king and said, \u201cYour Majesty, please don\u2019t listen to<\/span>
\nthese silly lies. How can three drops of venom from a little puny frog<\/span>
\nbe that powerful? Ask him to prove it to you.\u201d<\/span>
\nSudassana warned the king to be careful, for this was not just any<\/span>
\nordinary poison found in the world of men. He told the king the<\/span>
\nonly way to neutralize the venom was to dig three large pits side<\/span>
\nby side and to fill one pit with herbs, one with cow dung, and one<\/span>
\nwith the celestial medicine that he would provide, and to drop the<\/span>
\nvenom in the pits. The king ordered his men to do so and when this<\/span>
\nwas done, the yogi threw the three drops of venom into the first pit.<\/span>
\nIt caused a big burst of fire burning out all of the herbs. Then the\u00a0flame caught the second and the third pits, burning away everything<\/span>
\ninside them before it gradually extinguished itself.<\/span>
\nAlambayana put his face over the third pit to look inside. The noxious<\/span>
\nfume from the pit immediately burned away his facial skin<\/span>
\nand part of his body making him look like a leper and causing him<\/span>
\nintense pain. The terrified Brahmin screamed out these words,<\/span>
\n\u201cI surrender, I surrender, I surrender! I will release the naga immediately.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he crept away in disgrace never to be seen again.<\/span>
\nBhuridatta emerged from the basket, and assuming a radiant<\/span>
\nform of a young man, stood before the multitude in all his glory.<\/span>
\nThe little frog also transformed herself into a woman. The three of<\/span>
\nthem stood side by side, looking like celestial beings.<\/span>
\nThe two naga brothers revealed themselves to King Sagara-Brahmadatta<\/span>
\nas his nephews, for their mother, Princess Samuddaja, was<\/span>
\nhis younger sister. The king embraced them and kissed them. He<\/span>
\nbrought them up into the palace and paid them great honor and<\/span>
\nrequested them to bring their mother to visit him soon. After having<\/span>
\nspent some time together, the three bade farewell to the king and<\/span>
\nreturned to their naga kingdom.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

False Doctrine<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When the Brahmin hunter saw Alambayana\u2019s downfall, he thought<\/span>
\nto himself, \u201cThis cruel man has become a wretch because of his<\/span>
\nmistreatment of an innocent soul. I, too, have committed a grave sin<\/span>
\nfor betraying the one who had been kind to me. I am sure that soon<\/span>
\na bad retribution will fall upon me. Before it comes, I will go to the<\/span>
\nsacred bathing place in the river and wash away my sin.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo he went to the Yamuna River, to a landing where Brahmins went<\/span>
\nto wash away their sins. He walked to the landing, put his palms<\/span>
\ntogether, and uttered his confession out loud, \u201cI have committed<\/span>
\na misdeed because I have betrayed Prince Bhuridatta in spite of his<\/span>
\nkindness to me and to my son. He gave me everything, yet I led a<\/span>
\nsnake charmer to him and caused him great suffering. I wish now to<\/span>
\nwash away this sin.\u201d Then he slowly walked into the river in order<\/span>
\nto bathe himself.<\/span>
\nAt that time Prince Subhoga, Bhuridatta\u2019s younger brother had<\/span>
\ncome to that spot. He overheard the Brahmin\u2019s confession and it<\/span>
\ninfuriated him. He seized the Brahmin and dragged him under the<\/span>
\nwater threatening to drown him. The Brahmin cried out for mercy,<\/span>
\nand in his desperation, said these words to him, \u201cO naga prince,<\/span>
\nplease do not kill me. Do you not know that there are three kinds of<\/span>
\npeople you are not allowed to kill: Brahmins, beggars and worshippers<\/span>
\nof fire? If you kill them the Great Brahma will punish you in<\/span>
\nhell.\u201d Subhoga hesitated and thought, \u201cThis outcast is trying to fool<\/span>
\nme. I will find out the truth from my wise brother.\u201d So<\/span>
\nSubhoga dragged the Brahmin to the naga realm.<\/span>
\nWhen Arittha, the youngest brother, saw the Brahmin being<\/span>
\ndragged and beaten by Subhoga, he was alarmed and said to his<\/span>
\nbrother: \u201cBrother, do not hurt the Brahmin. Brahmins are<\/span>
\ndescendants of\u00a0the Great Brahma, creator of the world. Anyone who hurts them<\/span>
\nwill soon be punished in hell.\u201d Kanaritha acted in this manner and<\/span>
\nsaid these words because, in many of his past lifetimes, he was born<\/span>
\nas a dedicated Brahmin who believed in the doctrine which taught<\/span>
\nthe world was created by the Great Brahma. This belief system was<\/span>
\nso deeply ingrained in him that he carried it with him still into this<\/span>
\npresent lifetime.<\/span>
\nArittha addressed the naga crowds that gathered around: \u201cCome,<\/span>
\nall nagas, let me extol for you the virtues of Brahmins. Brahmins<\/span>
\nare descendants of the Great Brahma, who created the world. Not<\/span>
\nonly did the Great Brahma create the world, but he also decrees<\/span>
\nthe four classes of human beings and assigns duties to them. The<\/span>
\nsublime Brahmins occupy the highest caste. They study the Vedas<\/span>
\nand perform rituals and make sacrifices to the gods. Kings and warriors<\/span>
\n(Kshatriyas) occupy the second caste, and they rule the land.<\/span>
\nMerchants (Vaishyas) occupy the third caste. They farm the fields,<\/span>
\nraise cattle and do business. And servants (Shudras) occupy the lowest<\/span>
\nclass and serve them all. Individuals must remain in their own<\/span>
\ncaste and are not allowed to marry people of a different caste. Those<\/span>
\nwho revere the Brahmins and give them gifts will be rewarded in<\/span>
\nthe world of the gods, and those who cause harm to them will be<\/span>
\npunished in hell.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he went on to describe the virtue of the Vedas, the worship of<\/span>
\nfire, the sacrificial offerings, etc., etc. When the nagas heard<\/span>
\nthese words, they said, \u201cHe is telling a legend of the past, we<\/span>
\nshould seek out the truth,\u201d and they took the topic to the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta for his clarification.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Right Understanding<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Bodhisatta worried that his brother\u2019s propagation of this<\/span>
\nfalse view would lead the nagas down the wrong path and cause<\/span>
\nthem misfortune. He gathered all the nagas together and gave<\/span>
\nthem the following discourse:<\/span>
\n\u201cThe belief that the Great Brahma is the creator of the world is false.<\/span>
\nThe Vedas, the sacrificial offerings, and the worship of fire do not<\/span>
\nlead one to the celestial realm.<\/span>
\nThe Vedas are the clever man\u2019s tool designed to deceive the ignorant<\/span>
\nfor their own gains. The Vedas have no hidden power. The fire,<\/span>
\nthough tended well for long years, leaves nothing but ashes. Fire<\/span>
\ncan be created by man; how can man worship what he has himself<\/span>
\ncreated? There is no merit in worshipping fire.<\/span>
\nIf the Great Brahma indeed created the world and has such mighty<\/span>
\npower, why does he not give happiness to his creatures but<\/span>
\ninstead allows them to be condemned to pain? Why does he allow<\/span>
\nfraud, lies, and ignorance to prevail, and truth and justice to fail?<\/span>
\nWhy does he create the world in which to shelter the wrong? Why<\/span>
\ndoes he allow the innocents to be killed and the wrongdoers to<\/span>
\ngo free? Why does he allow humans to be born crippled instead<\/span>
\nof with perfect heath? Why does he not create a world that is full<\/span>
\nof happiness and harmony, instead of one full of conflict and war?<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin\u2019s Vedas are delusive. Studying the Vedas does not<\/span>
\nprevent a Brahmin to kill, to steal, to cheat, or to lie.<\/span>
\nSacrificial offerings are designed for a Brahmin\u2019s gain so he can eat<\/span>
\nthe meat of the animal and take the objects of offering. Only fools<\/span>
\nshould believe in such things.<\/span><\/p>\n

The caste systems, claimed to have been decreed by the Great<\/span>
\nBrahma, are unfit and destructive. They create disharmony, promote<\/span>
\nprejudice, and hinder progress. Loss, gain, glory and shame<\/span>
\ntouch everyone regardless of what caste they occupy. A servant has<\/span>
\nthe same human rights as his master, his priest, or his king. To gain<\/span>
\nlivelihood, regardless of class or caste, all must follow the right pursuits<\/span>
\nand legitimate means. It is foolish to believe in such a system.<\/span>
\nThe wise does not believe in false doctrines. He follows the Right<\/span>
\nView, the view in accordance with the Truth. Only the Right View<\/span>
\ncan lead one to a happy destination.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe above explanation enlightened all the nagas. They thanked the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta for his knowledge and wisdom and saluted him.<\/span>
\nPointing to the Brahmin, Subhoga asked his brother, \u201cWhat about<\/span>
\nthis ingrate? He caused you so much suffering even though you have<\/span>
\nbeen kind to him. Should we kill him?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cKilling binds one with the bondage of vengeance. Killing begets<\/span>
\nkilling. The cycle never ends. A sage should avoid killing at all costs.<\/span>
\nWe shall let him go free,\u201d answered the Bodhisatta.<\/span>
\nAnd the Bodhisatta ordered his nagas to take the Brahmin back<\/span>
\nto the world of men. He told them not to harm him in any way.<\/span>
\nNesada the Brahmin hunter was profoundly touched by the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta\u2019s kindness. Tears flowed from his eyes as he paid his final<\/span>
\nhomage to the Bodhisatta.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Happy Reunion<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

mother (Samuddaja) and brothers went to visit his maternal uncle<\/span>
\n(Sagara-Brahmadatta) and grandfather (Brahmadatta-<\/span>
\nKumara, former king of Benares) across the Yamuna River. His<\/span>
\ngrandfather, after giving up his daughter Samuddaja to the naga<\/span>
\nking, had retired to become an ascetic. Queen Samuddaja and<\/span>
\nher four sons came to his hermitage to pay him respect. King<\/span>
\nSagara-Brahmadatta also joined them there and they all paid him<\/span>
\nrespect. There was great joy and happiness at the family reunion.<\/span>
\nAfterwards, they took King Sagara-Brahmadatta to visit the naga<\/span>
\nworld. He stayed there for a few days before returning to<\/span>
\nBenares. Queen Samuddaja spent the remainder of her life in the<\/span>
\nnaga world.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta continued to keep the precepts and performed<\/span>
\nmoral duties throughout his life. His wish had come true for him,<\/span>
\nfor upon death, he was reborn in the realm of heaven.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”07 Canda Jataka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF FORBEARANCE” el_id=”1491827116718-f54a8bc6-32bb”]\u00a0During the time of the Buddha, his cousin and disciple, Devadatta, was a misguided monk who schemed<\/span>
\nto murder the Buddha and take control of the Order of Monks. He hired an expert archer to kill the<\/span>
\nBuddha, then hired two other archers to kill the killer, who would in turn be killed by four other archers.<\/span>
\nFinally the four men would be killed by eight other men. This way, no one could trace the killing back to<\/span>
\nDevadatta. But when the first man came close to the Buddha and was ready to shoot his poisonous arrow<\/span>
\nat him, he found himself unable to move any of his limbs. The Buddha approached him and gave him a<\/span>
\ndiscourse which touched his heart and converted him. Eventually, all the men who were hired to kill one<\/span>
\nanother also were converted and became disciples of the Buddha and the assassination plan failed.<\/span>
\nOne day, at the Hall of Wisdom, the topic of Devadatta\u2019s attempt on the Buddha\u2019s life was brought up by a<\/span>
\ngroup of monks. The Buddha heard the discussion and said to them, \u201cDear monks, this is not the first time<\/span>
\nthat Devadatta tried to deprive many people of their lives in his enmity against me.\u201d And he told them a<\/span>
\nstory of the past: Canda Jataka.<\/span>
\nCanda Jataka is the story of Prince Canda, the Bodhisatta, the son of a weak-minded and ignorant king<\/span>
\nnamed Ekaraja. In that lifetime Devadatta was born as a wicked Brahmin priest who devised a human<\/span>
\nsacrificial rite for the king to perform which involved Prince Canda and several others as victims. Although<\/span>
\nfacing death at the hands of his own father, Prince Canda maintained great fortitude and forbearance19,<\/span>
\nnot allowing himself to give way to hatred and vengefulness against his father and the wicked priest.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A Vengeful Brahmin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the olden days, the kingdom of Benares was called Pupphavati.<\/span>
\nThis kingdom was ruled by King Ekaraja, a feeble-minded king who<\/span>
\nwas spiritually ignorant. The king had a son named Prince Canda<\/span>
\nwho he appointed regent. Prince Canda, the Bodhisatta, was a man<\/span>
\nof high integrity and wisdom. He was just and fair to all people and<\/span>
\nwas loved by all.<\/span>
\nKing Ekaraja was advised in the ways of the world by Khandahala,<\/span>
\nhis chief Brahmin priest and teacher. This was unfortunate for the<\/span>
\nkingdom, for Khandahala was a corrupt man.<\/span>
\nKhandahala contrived to have himself appointed by the king as<\/span>
\njudge, though he was in no way fair or honest. He often took bribes<\/span>
\nand turned cases against the innocents.<\/span>
\nOne day, a man, the true owner of a property in dispute, had lost<\/span>
\nhis property in a court case because Khandahala, the judge, had<\/span>
\ntaken bribes. Grief-stricken by the injustice, the man went out of<\/span>
\nthe judgment hall complaining loudly to passersby. When the man<\/span>
\nsaw Prince Canda he came to his feet and pleaded him for justice.<\/span>
\nPrince Canda summoned both parties back to the courtroom and<\/span>
\nhad the case reheard. After considering all the presented facts, Canda<\/span>
\nreversed the judgment and restored the unjustly seized property to<\/span>
\nits rightful owner.<\/span>
\nThe news of this good deed spread to the people and they began to<\/span>
\nsing the praises of Prince Canda. From then on, they called on him<\/span>
\nregularly to act as their mediator. The news of his competence as<\/span>
\nmediator became known to the king, and the king eventually gave<\/span>
\nhim the office of judge and removed Khandahala from the position.<\/span><\/p>\n

This infuriated Khandahala. Not only had it made him lose face,<\/span>
\nbut it also deprived him of his means of income from bribes. From<\/span>
\nthat time on he developed a deep hatred against the prince and<\/span>
\nplotted to get rid of him. He constantly schemed and planned for<\/span>
\nhis revenge. Finally, an opportunity presented itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

An Ignorant King<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One morning, right before dawn, the king had a fantastic dream.<\/span>
\nHis dream appeared so vivid and real. In his dream, he was standing<\/span>
\nin the celestial realm of Tavatimsa witnessing the great expanse of<\/span>
\nheaven. He saw celestial streets paved with sands of gold extending as<\/span>
\nfar as the eyes can see. Celestial palaces and buildings glittered with<\/span>
\njewels and precious stones rose high up into the sky. The sight was<\/span>
\nso magnificent, unlike anything he had seen in the human world.<\/span>
\nCelestial beings were singing and playing divine music, and female<\/span>
\ncelestial beings were astoundingly beautiful. The whole experience<\/span>
\nwas spellbinding for the king.<\/span>
\nWhen he awoke, he was seized by an overpowering desire to enter<\/span>
\nthis celestial world. He said to himself, \u201cThe world of the gods is<\/span>
\nso magnificent indeed; nothing in the human realm can compare<\/span>
\nto it. My palace, which was said to be the most beautiful in the<\/span>
\nland, looks like a poor man\u2019s hut when compared to Sakka\u2019s celestial<\/span>
\npalace. The most beautiful ladies in my court look like monkeys<\/span>
\nwhen compared to the female celestial beings. Oh, how I crave to<\/span>
\nbelong to this celestial realm! I am willing to do anything to get<\/span>
\nthere. I must find a way to go to this heaven. I will ask Khandahala,<\/span>
\nmy wise teacher, to tell me how to get there. No one else knows the<\/span>
\nanswer except my good teacher.\u201d<\/span>
\nLater that morning, still dazzled by his vision, the king told Khandahala,<\/span>
\n\u201cDear teacher, you are a seer to whom all sacred learning has<\/span>
\nbeen given, tell me what sort of merit must one make to be able to<\/span>
\ngo to Tavatimsa Heaven?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Khandahala\u2019s eyes brightened up. He saw this as his moment for<\/span>
\nrevenge. He immediately took advantage of the king\u2019s ignorance<\/span>
\nand manipulated him. He said to the king, \u201cO King, it will not be<\/span>
\neasy for you to find this realm and it will cost you dearly. If you wish<\/span>
\nto go to the celestial realm of your dream you must offer a splendid<\/span>
\nsacrifice to the gods.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A \u2018Splendid\u2019 Sacrifice<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“What do you mean by a \u2018splendid sacrifice?\u2019\u201d asked the king.<\/span>
\n\u201cIt means a sacrifice that is most difficult to perform,\u201d answered<\/span>
\nKhandahala. Then he continued, \u201cYour Majesty, the common practice<\/span>
\nof giving away food and clothing to recluses and monks and<\/span>
\nto poor people is not considered splendid. For an offering to be<\/span>
\nsplendid it must be something that is most difficult to do. The most<\/span>
\nsplendid sacrifice is to take the lives of ones who do not deserve<\/span>
\nto die and offer them as gifts to the gods. This has to be done in a<\/span>
\nproper way. The sacrifice must be made in units of four: four sons,<\/span>
\nfour wives, four wealthy merchants, four noble animals consisting<\/span>
\nof the finest elephants, the finest steeds and the finest oxen. These<\/span>
\nfour kinds, sacrificed with proper ritual, will gain you entrance into<\/span>
\nthis heaven. Only such an offering can win the attention of the<\/span>
\ngods.\u201d<\/span>
\nKhandahala\u2019s motive was aimed at Prince Canda, but to conceal his<\/span>
\nreal motive he cooked up the scheme that included the murdering<\/span>
\nof the others. This way, the people would not know that he did it<\/span>
\nthrough his hostility towards the prince.<\/span>
\n\u201cWhat you suggested is indeed a very difficult thing to do,\u201d<\/span>
\nexclaimed the king.<\/span>
\n\u201cBut if Your Majesty really wishes to go to Tavatimsa Heaven, this is<\/span>
\nthe only way to get there,\u201d emphasized Khandahala.<\/span>
\nSo greatly had the king\u2019s dream affected him that his mind was no<\/span>
\nlonger sound, and he succumbed to Khandahala\u2019s dreadful advice.<\/span>
\nHe ordered all four of his sons, four of his chief consorts, four\u00a0wealthy merchants, four royal elephants, four noble steeds, and four<\/span>
\nof his finest oxen to be captured and slain.<\/span>
\nKhandahala suggested to the king that the sacrificial site be located<\/span>
\noutside the city walls and he and his men be the ones to prepare the<\/span>
\nsite and perform the rite, as the others might not have the strength<\/span>
\nor the courage to complete it. The king agreed and gave him permission<\/span>
\nto do so. Khandahala took several of his men and went out of<\/span>
\nthe city and ordered a sacrificial pit to be dug. He surrounded it<\/span>
\nwith fences to prevent possible interference from others.<\/span>
\nPrince Canda thought, \u201cEven animals love their young; why then<\/span>
\nwould a human being not love his own sons? There is something<\/span>
\nfishy about this whole thing.\u201d When Prince Canda found out that<\/span>
\nit was Khandahala who talked his father into committing such a<\/span>
\nhideous act, he knew right away that Khandahala did this to exact<\/span>
\nhis revenge on him. He thought to himself, \u201cThis cruel man will<\/span>
\nhave so many people killed just so he can get to me. I must find a<\/span>
\nway to help the others.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe went to his father and pleaded him to give up the idea of the<\/span>
\nsacrifice, not to save himself, but for the sake of the other innocent<\/span>
\nvictims. He said to the king, \u201cFather, human sacrifice is not a way<\/span>
\nto reach heaven. To gain proper merit in order to reach heaven,<\/span>
\none should give alms, avoid killing humans and animals, be kind<\/span>
\nand compassionate, and not cause suffering to anyone.\u201d<\/span>
\nOne by one, those close to the king came and told him to abandon<\/span>
\nthe idea, but the king stood firm on his decision. He told them,<\/span>
\n\u201cKhandahala has been my teacher since I was very young. He taught<\/span><\/p>\n

me everything. He is a seer well versed in all spiritual matters. He<\/span>
\nassured me that the only way to get to the celestial realm is by doing<\/span>
\nsomething that is difficult for ordinary people to do, to offer the<\/span>
\nlives of those who do not deserve to die as gifts to the gods. I must<\/span>
\nfollow the advice of my great teacher if I wish to go to the celestial<\/span>
\nrealm.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king\u2019s mother was terrified at his son\u2019s delusional behavior and<\/span>
\nrushed to see him. She said to him, \u201cMy son, what causes you to<\/span>
\ncommit such a monstrous deed? How could you think of such cruel<\/span>
\noffering, putting your own sons to death?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king answered, \u201cThis costly sacrifice is the only vehicle that will<\/span>
\ntake me to the heavenly world.\u201d<\/span>
\nHis mother pleaded, \u201cTo kill your own sons and wives can never<\/span>
\nlead you to the heavenly world. Don\u2019t believe in such nonsense.<\/span>
\nIt is the road to hell. If you wish to go to heaven, you must do what<\/span>
\nis right: give alms, hurt no living beings, be kind, be compassionate,<\/span>
\nbe righteous; then you will be assured of heaven.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king replied, \u201cMother, I did not think up such thing on my<\/span>
\nown, but I have been advised by Khandahala who has been my<\/span>
\nteacher since I was young. I know that sacrificing those whom I love<\/span>
\nis a very difficult thing to do, in the same way that it is very difficult<\/span>
\nto get to the celestial ream. Therefore it is fitting that if anyone<\/span>
\nwants to go to heaven, he must be willing to give up those he loves<\/span>
\nthe dearest as sacrifice. This is indeed a hard thing to do, but heaven<\/span>
\nis the prize that I must gain.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With tears pouring from her eyes, the mother begged her son to give<\/span>
\nup such a monstrous act, but to no avail. It broke her heart that her<\/span>
\nson had turned out this way. She cried and lamented, but the king<\/span>
\nstayed unaffected. The king\u2019s father also came to plead his son to<\/span>
\ngive up the idea. But the king stood firm in his decision.<\/span>
\nCanda felt miserable that so many people had to suffer on his account.<\/span>
\nHe went again to his father and made a plea to him, \u201cFather,<\/span>
\nlet us be Khandahala\u2019s slaves, but spare our lives. We shall tend his<\/span>
\nhorses and his elephants; we shall sweep his stables and haul the manures;<\/span>
\nwe shall do whatever he wants us to do, and work in chains,<\/span>
\nbut spare our lives.\u201d<\/span>
\nTo give up one\u2019s dignity to become a slave of one\u2019s own enemy and<\/span>
\nendure any insults that should follow was a terrible humiliation.<\/span>
\nPrince Canda was willing to do this, not due to cowardice or the<\/span>
\nlove for his own life, but to save others from being slaughtered. With<\/span>
\nhis power and popularity, he could have chosen to revolt against his<\/span>
\nfather and put the evil Brahmin in his proper place, but he chose<\/span>
\nto resolve it in a non-violent way. This reflected in him the virtue<\/span>
\nof forbearance that he had cultivated over many lifetimes, and the<\/span>
\ncourage to uphold good moral principle even at the cost of his life.<\/span>
\nPrince Canda\u2019s lamentations began to soften the king\u2019s heart. His<\/span>
\neyes began to fill with tears as he said, \u201cLet no one kill any of my<\/span>
\nchildren. I no longer wish to go to the celestial realm. I will let<\/span>
\neveryone go.\u201d He ordered everyone to be set free.<\/span>
\nKhandahala was busy preparing the sacrificial pit when he heard<\/span><\/p>\n

the news that the king had released all the princes. He rushed to see<\/span>
\nthe king and said to him, \u201cI warned Your Majesty that this sacrifice<\/span>
\nwould prove difficult. If it was so easy, anyone could have done it.<\/span>
\nOnly those who have the courage to give offerings such as these<\/span>
\nwill go straight to heaven. Bear in mind, those who are a part of<\/span>
\nthe sacrifice will all go to the heaven along with you. Their pain<\/span>
\nwill be only for a little while, but their enjoyment in heaven will be<\/span>
\never-lasting. It is a worthwhile course for everyone. Why put a stop<\/span>
\nto the rite now when it has begun so well? \u201d<\/span>
\nHearing these words from the Brahmin priest, the feeble-minded<\/span>
\nking faltered. Blinded by illusion of grandeur and the desire for a<\/span>
\nlife in heaven he changed his mind once again and ordered his sons<\/span>
\nto be recaptured.<\/span>
\nThe king\u2019s ministers, his sons\u2019 wives, and even his little grandchildren,<\/span>
\nbegged him to change his mind. Family members of the four<\/span>
\nwealthy merchants all begged the king to spare their lives. They<\/span>
\noffered themselves to become his slaves if the king would let their<\/span>
\nloved ones live. But each time the king appeared to falter in his<\/span>
\nresolve, Khandahala would rush in to remind him that this was the<\/span>
\nonly way to heaven.<\/span>
\nMore than once, the king weakened and released the hapless<\/span>
\nvictims, only to call them back into custody under renewed pressure<\/span>
\nfrom the evil priest.<\/span>
\nAt last, everything at the sacrificial site was ready. The ground<\/span>
\nwas cleared, a platform was raised, the pyre was draped, and the<\/span>
\nbanners were hung. Multi-tiered ceremonial umbrellas were brought\u00a0in and erected at the site. Finally Khandahala said to the king, \u201cThe<\/span>
\nsacrifice and the offerings have been prepared and ready. Go forth,<\/span>
\nOh king, to offer them, and claim your journey to heaven.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sakka to the Rescue<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Khandahala\u2019s men escorted Prince Canda to the sacrificial site<\/span>
\namidst great lamentations of the multitude. They placed him on<\/span>
\nthe platform with his neck bent forward to be decapitated. Below it<\/span>
\nwas a large golden bowl to receive his blood. Khandahala took the<\/span>
\nceremonial sword and stood up, getting ready to behead him.<\/span>
\nIn her desperation, Queen Candadevi, Canda\u2019s mother, clasped<\/span>
\nher hands and walking amidst the assembly proclaimed<\/span>
\nsolemnly \u201cMay all the gods and the spirits that dwell in this place<\/span>
\nplease hear me in mercy. May the virtue of my good deed and my<\/span>
\ntruthfulness protect my son Canda and free him from harm.\u201d<\/span>
\nSakka, sovereign of Tavatimsa Heaven, heard her desperate cry,<\/span>
\nand through his divine eyes saw what was taking place in the<\/span>
\nworld of men and the injustice being done. Suddenly, like a<\/span>
\nthunderbolt, mighty Sakka appeared floating in the sky over<\/span>
\nthe great crowd. Surrounded by a flaming halo, he wielded a<\/span>
\nblazing steel mallet in one hand and a flaming diamond dagger in<\/span>
\nthe other and struck at the ceremonial umbrellas. As they fell<\/span>
\nunder the blows the sacrifice was halted, for without the<\/span>
\nceremonial umbrellas the ceremony was no longer sacred.<\/span>
\n\u201cYou tyrant!\u201d Sakka shouted in a commanding voice which frightened<\/span>
\nthe king, \u201cStop your heinous act right now. Nowhere has this<\/span>
\nearth seen such an atrocious crime committed by anyone. You think<\/span>
\nkilling the virtuous and the innocents will earn you a place in my<\/span>
\nheaven? Hell is where you belong! Release the people and the animals<\/span>
\nnow before I strike you dead and smash your wicked Brahmin<\/span>
\nto pieces.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Startled by the miraculous sight and the flaming glory of mighty<\/span>
\nSakka, the terrified king immediately set free all the people<\/span>
\nand animals. After everyone was released the crowd turned to<\/span>
\nKhandahala and looked at him with angry eyes. They each<\/span>
\ngrabbed a stone and hurled it at the wicked Brahmin mercilessly<\/span>
\nuntil his whole body was mutilated and fell into the pit that he<\/span>
\nhad dug. He died in agony. His soul went straight to hell.<\/span>
\nAfter having put the Brahmin to death, the crowd turned to the<\/span>
\nking and prepared to kill him too, but Prince Canda stopped them.<\/span>
\nThe crowd spared the king\u2019s life but stripped him of his royal attire,<\/span>
\nchased him out of the city, and forced him to live in the colony of<\/span>
\nthe outcasts. They forbade him to enter the city ever again.<\/span>
\nAll of the victims were released and a vast assembly gathered<\/span>
\ntogether and anointed Prince Canda to be their new king. Despite<\/span>
\nwhat his father had done to him, the new king Canda harbored no<\/span>
\nresentment and hatred toward his father. He made sure his father<\/span>
\nwas well provided for and he tended to his every need.<\/span>
\nAll those who had helped in any way in the sacrifice, or approved of<\/span>
\nit, went to hell after they passed away.<\/span>
\nThence, a new and happy reign of prosperity and peace followed.<\/span>
\nComfort and happiness filled every home.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”08 Narada Jataka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF EQUANIMITY” el_id=”1491827155878-cf81371c-b79d”]\u00a0Throughout time, men have invented various belief systems and religious doctrines that did not coincide<\/span>
\nwith Truth. These misguided beliefs, or false doctrines, often led a person to the wrong paths and<\/span>
\ncaused him or her to fail in his or her spiritual development. To avoid these wrongful paths, one must<\/span>
\nknow how to choose the right teachers and the right teachings. One grave danger while on the path of<\/span>
\nspiritual development is to expose oneself to fools. A fool is someone wicked, weak, or feeble in the<\/span>
\nmoral sense. One cannot tell a fool by his or her looks. A fool can be well-educated and be from a<\/span>
\ngood family. Education, intelligence, career success, or social position do not prevent a person from<\/span>
\nbeing bad.<\/span>
\nA fool\u2019s mind is defective because of the \u2018wrong view\u2019 he or she assumes – the wrong view consists<\/span>
\nof the following misguided beliefs: that generosity is not virtuous and should not be practiced; it<\/span>
\nis unnecessary to honor people worthy of honor; it is unnecessary to show hospitality to others;<\/span>
\ngood and bad actions have no consequences; children have no debt of gratitude toward their parents;<\/span>
\nthere are no heaven or hell or afterlife; and that enlightened beings do not exist.<\/span>
\nEquanimity is about the quality of mind that is stable and neutral, not affected by emotion or outside<\/span>
\ninfluences, positive or negative, desirable or non-desirable. In the development of equanimity it is helpful<\/span>
\nfor one to be aware of the truth of nature, the Law of Kamma, and the impermanent nature of all things.<\/span>
\nThis helps one to understand the reality of life and to be able to make sound judgments based on wisdom<\/span>
\nand not emotion.<\/span>
\nThis Jataka exhibits to us how a false doctrine can destroy one\u2019s life and affect the lives of others. It also<\/span>
\nteaches us to associate ourselves with the wise and avoid the fools.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

King Angati<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the kingdom of Videha, there lived King Angati, who possessed<\/span>
\ngreat wealth and power and ruled his kingdom righteously. He<\/span>
\nworked hard for the welfare of his people and taught them how to<\/span>
\nlive a virtuous life and to be generous. His kindness and<\/span>
\ngenerosity were well known throughout the land and he was<\/span>
\nadmired by all his subjects.<\/span>
\nAlthough the king possessed great wealth and power, he had only<\/span>
\none child, Ruja, the daughter of his chief queen. Ruja was blessed,<\/span>
\nfor not only was she born into a family of high standing, but she was<\/span>
\nas beautiful as a celestial being and as wise as a sage. It was no wonder<\/span>
\nthat she was the king\u2019s greatest joy. Every day, the king sent her<\/span>
\nbaskets of flowers and exquisite gifts. Every two weeks, he provided<\/span>
\nher with one thousand gold pieces to give alms on his behalf to the<\/span>
\npoor and the needy. This almsgiving won him the love of his people<\/span>
\nand also the admiration of his daughter.<\/span>
\nOne day, on the eve of the great festival of the full moon, King<\/span>
\nAngati stood with his three chief ministers on his palace terrace<\/span>
\nadmiring the beauty of the city beneath him. As the moon rose<\/span>
\nup the sky, the entire city and its festive decorations gleamed with<\/span>
\nits magnificent rays, making it appear as beautiful and surreal as a<\/span>
\nheaven on earth. In his happy spirits the king said to his ministers,<\/span>
\n\u201cPleasant indeed is this clear and beautiful night, a night so perfect<\/span>
\nfor festivity. How shall we best amuse ourselves on this festive eve?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe first minister, Alata, the general in charge of the kingdom\u2019s warfare,<\/span>
\nsuggested, \u201cOn an auspicious occasion like this, Your Majesty,<\/span>
\nlet us gather a gallant army together and go forth in battle. Let us<\/span>
\nbring under your power those who have not yet been conquered.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The second, Sunama, the minister in charge of the king\u2019s diversions,<\/span>
\nsaid, \u201cToday should be the day of festival, not war. Let us make this<\/span>
\nday a great day of festivity and entertainment. Let the people bring<\/span>
\ntheir best meats, drinks, and food, and let Your Majesty enjoy his<\/span>
\npleasure in dance, song, and music.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe third minister, Vijaya, the chief court Brahmin, spoke up, \u201cOn<\/span>
\na special night like this, we should do something to enrich our soul.<\/span>
\nIt is more fulfilling to seek out a holy man learned in sacred lore, one<\/span>
\nwho is wise in the ways of the world, who can remove our doubts<\/span>
\nand show us the path of liberation. Such is an appropriate activity<\/span>
\nfor a king who practices the Ten Virtues of the Sovereign.21\u201d<\/span>
\nSince King Angati had always enjoyed listening to ascetics, he<\/span>
\nagreed to Vijaya\u2019s suggestion. He said to the three, \u201cThis suggestion<\/span>
\nof Vijaya pleases me. Let us find a worthy teacher and go wait on<\/span>
\nhim. Do you know of such a worthy one?\u201d<\/span>
\nAlata said right away, \u201cYes, Your Majesty, there is a famous ascetic in<\/span>
\nthe deer park who is learned and wise. He has renounced the world<\/span>
\nand given up all forms of possessions. He is content with what little<\/span>
\nhe has and sees no necessity in wearing any clothes. This ascetic<\/span>
\nwho wears no clothes has a large following of disciples. His name is<\/span>
\nGuna, of the Kassapa family. Wait on him, O King; he will remove<\/span>
\nour doubts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Naked Ascetic<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The king was curious.<\/span>
\n\u201cA naked ascetic?\u201d he said amusingly, \u201cThis sounds like a good idea.<\/span>
\nLet us go then to seek out advice from him.\u201d After having said this,<\/span>
\nhe ordered his charioteer to prepare the royal carriage and to get<\/span>
\nhis entourage ready to accompany him to the deer park. As he and<\/span>
\nhis entourage approached the center of the forest, they saw a crowd<\/span>
\nsurrounding a naked man with scruffy long hair and beard. Not<\/span>
\nwanting to disturb the gathering, the king came down from his<\/span>
\nchariot and greeted Guna Kassapa, the naked ascetic, on foot. After<\/span>
\nexchanging proper salutations and greetings, the king seated himself<\/span>
\nto one side and told Guna the purpose of his visit.<\/span>
\nThe king looked at Guna\u2019s peculiar appearance: his body completely<\/span>
\nnaked, his hair and beard unkempt, his skins looked dirty, and his<\/span>
\nbody put out smelly odor. He could not help but ask the naked<\/span>
\nascetic the reason for his lack of embarrassment.<\/span>
\n\u201cHonorable Kassapa, it is common practice that men should wear<\/span>
\nclothes, cut his hair, and shave his mustache and beard so that they<\/span>
\nlook decent and acceptable in public. Why then do you and your<\/span>
\ndisciples practice the opposite by appearing naked in public and<\/span>
\nletting your hair and beard grow long and untidy? What advantage<\/span>
\ncan such practices bring you?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king\u2019s questions did not annoy Guna. He had been asked<\/span>
\nthese questions numerous times and had come up with perfect<\/span>
\nanswers for them. In fact, he welcomed these questions, for it gave<\/span>
\nhim the opportunity to extol the virtues of his practices in a way<\/span>
\nthat had won the veneration of many followers.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said to King Angati, \u201cDear King, I do not wear any clothes<\/span>
\nbecause I have discovered the truth that human beings are a part<\/span>
\nof nature, and, as such, should live naturally. When humans and<\/span>
\nanimals are born, they are not born with any clothes on them.<\/span>
\nAnimals are born with hair and fur, yet they do not cut off their hair<\/span>
\nor fur. They live the way nature wants them to live. All living beings<\/span>
\ncome from nature and should live according to nature. Nature has<\/span>
\na way of balancing everything. If we live naturally and use what<\/span>
\nnature has provided for us, we will see no need to put on<\/span>
\nclothes, cut our hair, or shave our beard. It serves no purpose to<\/span>
\nwear clothes and it is a wasteful way of living.\u201d<\/span>
\nOn the surface, Guna\u2019s explanation sounded logical but the king<\/span>
\nwas not convinced. He argued, \u201cHonorable Teacher, clothes may<\/span>
\nincur an expense but they protect us from the heat of the sun<\/span>
\nand from the cold. They conceal what should be concealed and<\/span>
\nthey give beauty to the wearer.\u201d<\/span>
\nGuna responded, \u201cGreat king, you said that human beings<\/span>
\nmust wear clothes to protect them from the heat of the sun and<\/span>
\nthe cold and for concealing what should be concealed. Such<\/span>
\nbelief comes from the lack of understanding about the way of<\/span>
\nnature. Nature has already provided us with hair to protect us<\/span>
\nfrom the heat of the sun and to keep us warm, just like it has done<\/span>
\nso for other animals. Every hair in our body has its own specific<\/span>
\nfunction. Brows prevent the sweat from the forehead to enter the<\/span>
\neyes; eyelashes keep dirt from the eyes; and hair in our nose<\/span>
\nprevents dirt from entering our lungs. Beards keep the neck warm;<\/span>
\nhair on the head shields us from the sun. When hair is allowed to<\/span>
\ngrow naturally, it keeps our body warm and it covers our private<\/span><\/p>\n

parts. With all these benefits, why then should we cut our hair<\/span>
\nand wear clothes? Why should we complicate our lives and take us<\/span>
\nfurther away from nature?\u201d<\/span>
\nHe added, \u201cThe desire for clothing makes people drift away from<\/span>
\nnature. The more distant we are from nature, the more difficult and<\/span>
\ncomplicated our lives will become. Clothing is a form of material<\/span>
\npossession which leads to craving, and craving leads to possessiveness<\/span>
\nand competition, which in turn leads to unrest and unhappiness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

False Doctrines<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The king listened to Guna\u2019s peculiar concept, but he was not<\/span>
\ncompletely comfortable with it. Then he asked Guna questions<\/span>
\nregarding the right conduct towards others.<\/span>
\n\u201cHow, Honorable Kassapa, should a mortal fulfill the law of right<\/span>
\nconduct toward his parents, how towards his teacher, and how<\/span>
\ntowards his wife and children? How should he behave towards the<\/span>
\naged, how towards holy men and Brahmins, how should he deal<\/span>
\nwith his army, how with the people in the country? And most<\/span>
\nimportant, how should he practice the law and so eventually attain<\/span>
\nthe path to heaven? And how do some on account of unrighteousness<\/span>
\nfall down into hell?\u201d<\/span>
\nThese questions should have been asked to a true sage such as a<\/span>
\nBuddha or an Arahat21, ones who have attained insight and wisdom<\/span>
\nthrough a mind that is enlightened. Unfortunately, at that time and<\/span>
\nin that land there was no true sage to whom men could turn to for<\/span>
\nadvice, and Guna, an ascetic blind to the truth of life and of nature,<\/span>
\nhad gained a reputation for wisdom in spite of his ignorance. It was<\/span>
\nthe case of a blind leading other blind. This was unfortunate for the<\/span>
\nking, for he was about to be influenced by a misguided mind that<\/span>
\nswayed him away from the Right View22.<\/span>
\nGuna did not know the true answers to the king\u2019s questions, but he<\/span>
\nacted as if he was the authority on the subject. He spoke with a clear<\/span>
\nand confident voice as he described his misguided views:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO King, there is no right or wrong way to behave. Merit and<\/span>
\ndemerit do not exist. Heaven and hell do not exist. There is no<\/span>
\nafterlife. There is no such thing as rebirth. There is only<\/span>
\ndestiny. Every living being is born out of destiny and no one can<\/span>
\nchange it.<\/span>
\nGrandparents and parents have no special virtues; teachers have<\/span>
\nno special virtues; holy men and Brahmins have no special virtues.<\/span>
\nAll humans and animals are born equal. Paying reverence to the<\/span>
\nworthy brings no consequence.<\/span>
\nThere is no benefit in giving alms, in observing the precepts, and<\/span>
\nin practicing kindness and generosity. Whatever you do, whether it<\/span>
\nbe virtuous or evil, has no effect on your future. Whether you kill a<\/span>
\nman, or help the poor, or give alms, is inconsequential, for there is<\/span>
\nno merit or demerit in whatever you do.<\/span>
\nAnimals must hunt for food and have to kill other animals in order<\/span>
\nto survive. If they had the same belief as humans, that taking a life<\/span>
\nis an evil act, they would all starve to death.<\/span>
\nA butcher slaughters animals everyday of his life. He kills by<\/span>
\nthe hundreds, by the thousands, but look at him, he only grows<\/span>
\nricher and richer. He can eat any meat he wants and buy anything<\/span>
\nhe desires. His every wish is fulfilled. If evil deeds have consequences,<\/span>
\nthen these butchers should have suffered terribly, but instead,<\/span>
\nthey prosper.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the contrary, the do-gooders, those who are kind at heart,<\/span>
\nthose who refuse to kill or hurt animals, those who are generous<\/span>
\nand give alms, those who help others, find themselves hungry and<\/span>
\ndeprived of the good things in life. This further proves that merit<\/span>
\nand demerit do not exist, and actions, good or bad, have no<\/span>
\nconsequences.<\/span>
\nEverything happens according to nature. Some animals eat<\/span>
\nonly grass; some eat only meat. They do it instinctively and<\/span>
\ndo not have to be taught to do so. This is the way of<\/span>
\nnature and nature maintains its own balance.\u201d<\/span>
\nAnd he continued:<\/span>
\n\u201cHeaven and hell do not exist; they only exist in one\u2019s<\/span>
\nimagination. There is no other world than this one. Suffering in<\/span>
\nthis world is hell and happiness in this world is heaven. So follow<\/span>
\nyour own will and seek your own pleasure. Do things that please<\/span>
\nyou and do not do things that displease you. Do not worry about<\/span>
\nconsequences; for there are no consequences for your future.<\/span>
\nFortunate and unfortunate things happen on their own; we do<\/span>
\nnot cause them to happen and we cannot influence the outcomes.<\/span>
\nAll beings are predestined. Every mortal gets what he is going to<\/span>
\nget, what then is the use of giving? Almsgiving is a waste of money.<\/span>
\nIt is the practice of foolish people. Foolish people believe in giving,<\/span>
\nbut clever people believe in receiving. Almsgiving causes people to<\/span>
\nbe lazy and poor. It encourages receivers to not have to work for a<\/span>
\nliving. How then can almsgiving be considered a good thing?<\/span><\/p>\n

Some people believe in keeping moral precepts and fasting at certain<\/span>
\ntimes of the day. Refraining from taking certain meals at a certain<\/span>
\ntime or day is totally fruitless and is against nature. The practice of<\/span>
\ncontrolling one\u2019s thought, action and speech, and not to allow<\/span>
\nthem to behave badly is impractical. Why fight against things that<\/span>
\ncome to us naturally?\u201d<\/span>
\nGuna\u2019s eccentric views fascinated the king. They were contrary to<\/span>
\nwhat he used to be taught by his father, but their logic seemed to<\/span>
\nmake sense to him. Little by little, the king\u2019s way of thinking began<\/span>
\nto sway toward Guna\u2019s theory of beliefs.<\/span>
\nHaving thus described the uselessness of giving, Guna went on to<\/span>
\ndescribe the inconsequence of action:<\/span>
\n\u201cActions, virtuous or evil, produce no karmic effect. As you can see<\/span>
\nfor yourself, some people live a good life surrounded by wealth and<\/span>
\nriches even though throughout their lives they have done nothing<\/span>
\nbut evil; while others who have done nothing but good throughout<\/span>
\ntheir lives find themselves in hardship and misery. If good actions<\/span>
\nproduce good consequences and bad actions produce negative retributions,<\/span>
\nwhy then do evil doers go unpunished and good people go<\/span>
\nunrewarded? The truth is there is no law of cause and consequence,<\/span>
\nno Law of Kamma. Everything happens on its own. There is nothing<\/span>
\nwe can do to change it.\u201d<\/span>
\nAlata, the general, listened to Guna attentively. He had no<\/span>
\ndifficulty agreeing with everything Guna said. In fact, he proceeded<\/span><\/p>\n

to reinforce Guna\u2019s views by stating his own personal experience<\/span>
\nas testimony in support of Guna\u2019s theory. He said, \u201cHonorable<\/span>
\nKassapa, what you said is quite true. I happen to be one who is able<\/span>
\nto recall a past existence in which I was a huntsman named Pingala.<\/span>
\nI committed a countless number of sins by killing all kinds of living<\/span>
\ncreatures. Passing from that birth, I was born into the prosperous<\/span>
\nfamily of a general. Today, I live a healthy and wealthy life, holding<\/span>
\nan important position for my king. I did not have to go to hell. This<\/span>
\nis living proof that there are no evil consequences for doing bad<\/span>
\nactions.\u201d<\/span>
\nAs Alata finished speaking, someone in the crowd wept loudly. It<\/span>
\nwas a slave clothed in rags who had come to listen to Guna. When<\/span>
\nhe heard Guna\u2019s dissertation and Alata\u2019s affirmation, he sighed sadly<\/span>
\nand burst into tears. King Angati asked him, \u201cDear friend, what had<\/span>
\nmade you so upset?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe man replied, \u201cO King, my name is Bijaka; I too remember my<\/span>
\nformer birth. I was one Bhavatthi in the city of Saketa, devoted to<\/span>
\nvirtue, given to alms, and conducted my life in the most virtuous<\/span>
\nway. I remember no single evil deed that I committed. But when<\/span>
\nI passed from that life, I was conceived in the womb of a poor<\/span>
\nprostitute, and was born to a miserable life of a slave as you see<\/span>
\nhere. But as miserable as I am I keep my tranquil mind, and I give<\/span>
\nhalf of my food to whosoever desires it. I uphold moral precepts,<\/span>
\nfast every fourteenth and fifteenth day, never hurt living creatures,<\/span>
\nand I abstain from theft. But all the good deeds which I do produce<\/span>
\nno fruit. As I heard honorable Kassapa\u2019s words and General Alata\u2019s<\/span><\/p>\n

comment, I began to realize that virtue is indeed useless. I see no<\/span>
\ndoor by which I may go to heaven. It is for this that my heart is<\/span>
\ntormented and I could not hold my grief.\u201dHaving heard the slave\u2019s<\/span>
\nwords, King Angati said, \u201cIndeed, there is no door to heaven; only<\/span>
\ndestiny. I devote my life to virtue and the welfare of my people.<\/span>
\nI teach my subjects to do good, to avoid bad, and to give alms.<\/span>
\nI attend to my business diligently, administering the laws and fulfilling<\/span>
\nmy Ten Royal Virtues of the Sovereign, but I myself have found<\/span>
\nno enjoyment.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe turned to Kassapa and said, \u201cHonorable Kassapa, all this time<\/span>
\nI have been uninformed of the truth, but now at last I have found<\/span>
\na teacher. From now on I will follow your teaching. I will take my<\/span>
\ndelight only in pleasure. I will no longer give importance to virtue<\/span>
\nand will pay no more attention to the laws of righteousness. Please<\/span>
\nstop your teaching now. There is no reason for me to continue<\/span>
\nlistening, as there is no merit or consequence in so doing. As you<\/span>
\nhave taught, I should do only things that I find pleasure in. In this<\/span>
\nsame regard, there is no reason for me to see you again.\u201d<\/span>
\nWhen the king first visited Guna he gave him proper salutations<\/span>
\nand greetings, but when he departed he left without any salutation,<\/span>
\nand left him no alms or gifts. In the king\u2019s mind now, he saw these<\/span>
\ngood behaviors to be no longer of any consequence.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From Now On I Will Pursue Only Pleasure<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The next day the king said to his ministers, \u201cHenceforth, I will<\/span>
\npursue only pleasure. No other business, public or private, is to<\/span>
\nbe mentioned before me. Let the three of you carry on the<\/span>
\nday-to-day administration of my affair.\u201d And he indulged himself<\/span>
\nonly in activities that brought him pleasure.<\/span>
\nFrom then on, he resolved to make no further efforts to do good. He<\/span>
\nrelinquished all cares and unpleasant kingly duties to his ministers.<\/span>
\nHe no longer made decisions. Since nothing he did was to have any<\/span>
\nconsequence, he would have no more to do with the business of life.<\/span>
\nAnd he stopped giving alms.<\/span>
\nA month passed and his subjects lamented the loss of their king\u2019s<\/span>
\ninterest in them. Ruja wept for her father, for she heard the mourning<\/span>
\nof his unhappy people and saw him harden his heart and close<\/span>
\nhis ears to reason.<\/span>
\nOn the next festival of the full moon, Ruja dressed herself in her<\/span>
\nfinest garments and entered her father\u2019s court. Despite the<\/span>
\nchange of the king\u2019s outlook on life, he continued to show great<\/span>
\nlove and care for his daughter. He asked her how she was<\/span>
\nenjoying life and whether there was anything that she needed.<\/span>
\nRuja told her father that everything was going well for her, but<\/span>
\nreminded him that the following day was the sacred fifteenth day,<\/span>
\nthe day to give alms.<\/span>
\n\u201cFather,\u201d she said, \u201ctomorrow is the sacred fifteenth day,<\/span>
\nour traditional day of almsgiving. Could you kindly tell your<\/span>
\ncourtiers to bring the thousand pieces of gold to be used for<\/span>
\nalmsgiving as has been your custom?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her father replied indifferently, \u201cAlms? Give away our gold? I no<\/span>
\nlonger have the desire to carry on such a foolish custom. Much<\/span>
\nwealth has already been wasted without bearing any fruit. My<\/span>
\nchild, there is no such thing as merit or benefit from giving. We are<\/span>
\ngoverned by destiny; nothing we do can change our predetermined<\/span>
\nfate. I have no reason to waste any more of my wealth on<\/span>
\nsomething that creates no consequence.”<\/span>
\n\u201cAlso, my dear child, your practice of fasting is another useless<\/span>
\ndevotion. It is unhealthy not to eat. Why allow yourself to be<\/span>
\nhungry. There is no merit to gain from fasting. You should discontinue<\/span>
\nthis silly practice as well.\u201d<\/span>
\nRuja realized that her father had truly strayed from the holy<\/span>
\nprecepts. She tried to reason with him, \u201cDear father, I have heard<\/span>
\nthat he who listens to fools himself becomes a fool; he who surrounds<\/span>
\nhimself with children acts like a child. If one wishes to be wise one<\/span>
\nmust associate with the wise. Associating with fools is like wrapping<\/span>
\na leaf around a rotten fish; the fresh leaf will end up smelling like a<\/span>
\nrotten fish. Associating with the wise is like wrapping a leaf around<\/span>
\na fragrant flower; the leaf will smell sweet and pleasant. Guna, the<\/span>
\nnaked ascetic, is but a fool; an ignorant who misconceived the Truth<\/span>
\nand preaches false doctrines. Associating with such fools will only<\/span>
\nclose the door of heaven for you.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king responded, \u201cIt was not only the words of Guna that<\/span>
\nchanged my way of thinking, but Alata, the general, and Bijaka, the<\/span>
\nslave, both bore testimony to the truth of Guna\u2019s teaching. Both of<\/span>
\nthem were able to recall their past existences. In his former existence,<\/span><\/p>\n

Alata was a cruel man who killed animals all his life and committed<\/span>
\nall kinds of sins, yet he was born into prosperity and holds a vital<\/span>
\nrole in my kingdom. As for Bijaka, in his former life, he did nothing<\/span>
\nbut good, yet he was born into the womb of a prostitute and lives<\/span>
\nin total misery. This proves that there is no such thing as the Law of<\/span>
\nKamma. Alata and Bijaka are the living proof that actions, good or<\/span>
\nbad, bear no consequence.\u201d<\/span>
\nRuja explained to her father, \u201cThe Law of Kamma is a complex<\/span>
\nphenomenon. It is not something that can be easily understood.<\/span>
\nOnly those with proper knowledge and understanding can fully<\/span>
\ngrasp the significance of the Law. Every action, good or bad, has an<\/span>
\neffect, but the effect of that action may not bear fruit immediately.<\/span>
\nSome actions bear fruit in the same lifetime that it is committed;<\/span>
\nsome in the following lifetime; but some in a distant future lifetime.<\/span>
\nEach living being has gone through countless cycles of rebirth.<\/span>
\nUnless one has the ability to recall many past rebirths, one may not<\/span>
\nfully comprehend the reason of one\u2019s present life condition.\u201d<\/span>
\nShe continued, \u201cIn the case of your prosperous General Alata,<\/span>
\nthe reason he is doing well in this lifetime in spite of his<\/span>
\nmisconduct in the former life is because he is reaping the fruit of<\/span>
\nmerit from good deeds performed by him in other past<\/span>
\nlifetimes. But merit can be used up and Alata will find<\/span>
\nhimself in an unfortunate afterlife if he continues to live<\/span>
\nrecklessly like he does now. One must always accumulate new<\/span>
\nmerits to replenish the old merits that have run out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs for Bijaka, the slave who ranted to you of his sufferings, it is due<\/span>
\nto the retribution from grave misdeeds committed by him in his<\/span>
\ndistant past, which is now taking effect. The good deeds he<\/span>
\nperformed in his recent former life did not yet have a chance to bear<\/span>
\nfruit. After he has paid for his former sins his misery will end, and<\/span>
\nthe good he is doing now along with the good he had done in<\/span>
\nhis recent former life will bring him the reward of heaven.<\/span>
\nUnfortunately, both Alata and Bijaka were able to recount only one<\/span>
\nformer birth. They failed to see what they had done in other past<\/span>
\nlifetimes. So, with their limited insight, they jumped to the conclusion<\/span>
\nthat their actions in the past had no bearing in the present.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ruja\u2019s Past Lives<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Then Ruja went on to relate her own experience:<\/span>
\n\u201cI myself have the ability to recall several of my past lifetimes. Seven<\/span>
\nlifetimes ago, I was born as a blacksmith\u2019s son who, by associating<\/span>
\nwith wicked friends, used to indulge in drinking and corrupting<\/span>
\nother men\u2019s wives. As a result, I passed from that life into hell and I<\/span>
\nendured the torment in hell for a great length of time. It grieves me<\/span>
\nevery time I think of it.<\/span>
\nAfter getting out of hell I was born as a donkey. I was castrated<\/span>
\nby my owner and put to work as a beast of burden and I suffered<\/span>
\nabuse from the owner and his sons throughout my life. This was<\/span>
\nthe fated consequences of my going after other men\u2019s wives.<\/span>
\nAfter that, I was born in the womb of a monkey in a forest; on<\/span>
\nthe day of my birth, the leader of the herd violently seized my<\/span>
\ntesticles with his teeth and bit them off. The pain was so excruciating<\/span>
\nthat I almost died on the spot. This was the fated consequence<\/span>
\nof my going after other men\u2019s wives.<\/span>
\nNext, I was born as an ox and was castrated by my owner because<\/span>
\nhe wanted me only to work and not to be distracted by other cows.<\/span>
\nI drew carriages for a long time and endured immense hardships.<\/span>
\nThis was the fated consequence of my going after other men\u2019s wives.<\/span>
\nWhen I passed from that birth, my karmic retribution had been<\/span>
\nreduced and I no longer was born as an animal. I was born as a<\/span>
\nmale person in the family of a rich man. But my manhood was not<\/span>
\ncomplete; my body was that of a man but my temperament was that<\/span>
\nof a woman. I grew up suffering insults and abuse from everyone for<\/span>
\nbeing a half-man half-woman. As such, my life was miserable. This<\/span><\/p>\n

was the fated consequence of my going after other men\u2019s wives. As<\/span>
\nyou can see, dear Father, a wrongdoing committed in one lifetime<\/span>
\ncan bear bad consequences for many lifetimes. I committed<\/span>
\nsuch grave sins because I chose to associate with fools and not with<\/span>
\nthe wise.<\/span>
\nFather, in the lifetime where I was born human I began to do good<\/span>
\ndeeds and accumulate merits. After that, the fruit of my merit began<\/span>
\nto take effect and I was born in the Tavatimsa heaven as a female<\/span>
\ncelestial being in the court of King Sakka. It was during my celestial<\/span>
\nstate of being that I was able to recall seven of my past lives and<\/span>
\nseven of my future lives.<\/span>
\nAfter passing from Tavatimsa Heaven, I was born as your daughter<\/span>
\nhere in this lifetime. These sixteen years of my present life are but<\/span>
\none short moment in heaven. A hundred years in the human world<\/span>
\nis equal to only one single day in Tavatimsa Heaven. Life in this<\/span>
\nworld is very short, but life in the afterworld is long. Because of<\/span>
\nthis, we must take every opportunity we can to accumulate as much<\/span>
\nmerit while we are still alive in this world. Merit and demerit are the<\/span>
\nonly things we can take with us after we leave this world.\u201d<\/span>
\nShe made a plea to her father, \u201cFather, seek out the wise and avoid<\/span>
\nthe fools. Please do not follow the false doctrines of the misguided<\/span>
\nascetic, one who lacks decency of his own body as well as mind. He<\/span>
\nis a fool who will lead you to misfortune. Please listen to what I said,<\/span>
\nfor it contains the truth.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king listened to his daughter patiently, but nothing she said<\/span>
\nseemed to have an effect on him. Though the king still loved his<\/span>
\ndaughter, he was unmoved by her arguments.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ruja did not give up. She went on to tell her father of the reality<\/span>
\nof life:<\/span>
\n\u201cFather, the Law of Kamma does exist and is real. All beings are<\/span>
\nsubject to this Law. All beings have Kamma of their own. They<\/span>
\nare heirs to their Kamma. They are born of their Kamma. Kamma<\/span>
\nmakes them the way they are, fortunate or unfortunate. Every action,<\/span>
\ngood or bad, produces a result. A person is directly<\/span>
\nresponsible for his or her own deeds. The consequences of our<\/span>
\ndeeds can never be avoided. It stays with us and follows us like<\/span>
\nshadows, waiting for the right time to take effect.<\/span>
\nFather, the fortune or misfortune of a person is the direct result of<\/span>
\nthe deeds the person has done. Everything that you possess now is<\/span>
\nthe result of merits from the good deeds you have accumulated in<\/span>
\nthe past. It is wise that you continue to perform good deeds and<\/span>
\naccumulate more merits.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king responded, \u201cMy daughter, there are no such things as the<\/span>
\nLaw of Kamma, merit and demerit, heaven and hell. As you can<\/span>
\nsee for yourself, many evil doers find themselves living a good life<\/span>
\nsurrounded by wealth and riches, while many virtuous people find<\/span>
\nthemselves in hardship and misery. If good actions produce good<\/span>
\nconsequences and bad actions produce negative retributions, why<\/span>
\nthen are evil doers not punished and good doers rewarded? The<\/span>
\ntruth is, there is no Law of Kamma. Everything happens on its own.<\/span>
\nThere is nothing we can do to change it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ruja was disappointed at her father\u2019s stubborn view, but she did not<\/span>
\nlose hope. She resolved that by some means or another she would<\/span>
\nsave her father from the false view and restore him to his former<\/span>
\nvirtuous self. She realized her rationality alone would not be enough<\/span>
\nto change her father\u2019s mind. She thought, by the virtue of her<\/span>
\nfather\u2019s goodness, there must be some higher power out there that<\/span>
\ncould come to his rescue. With this thought, she stepped to one side<\/span>
\nof the court, knelt down, and with her hands held together above<\/span>
\nher head, made reverences in ten directions to the highest deities,<\/span>
\nbegging them to give some sign which would awaken her father<\/span>
\nfrom his delusions.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Narada, the Great Brahma<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In that era the Bodhisatta was born as a Great Brahma named<\/span>
\nNarada. From time to time, the Great Brahmas in their compassion<\/span>
\ncast their eyes over the world to watch over the righteous.<\/span>
\nNarada was looking over the world that day, he saw the princess<\/span>
\npraying for her father. He thought to himself, \u201cThere is none<\/span>
\nother than I who can drive away false doctrines. I must<\/span>
\ncome and show kindness to the princess and bring happiness<\/span>
\nto the king and his people. I shall go to the king in some<\/span>
\nunusual garb, so that at first my appearance and then my words<\/span>
\nwill arrest his attention. King Angati values ascetics. I will dress<\/span>
\nlike the most striking one of them and when he sees me, he will<\/span>
\nlisten well.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo he assumed a pleasing human form with the complexion of gold<\/span>
\nand put on the garb of a yogi in a red-mottled garment with a<\/span>
\nblack antelope skin over one shoulder. He carried a golden pole<\/span>
\non his shoulders from which hung two golden begging bowls<\/span>
\nsuspended by strings of pearls. His hair was matted as is the<\/span>
\ncustom of ascetics, but with a golden needle tucked inside. Then<\/span>
\nhe sped through the sky and stood suspended in the air before the<\/span>
\nking and his court.<\/span>
\nRuja, who had returned to the king\u2019s side, saw the yogi appearing<\/span>
\nin this miraculous way and perceived right away that this was the<\/span>
\nBrahma. She was overjoyed knowing that her prayers had come true.<\/span>
\nShe bowed down to pay reverence to the yogi. But the king, alarmed<\/span>
\nby this miraculous presence, came down from his throne and cried,<\/span>
\n\u201cWho are you? Why do you come to my court in this fashion? What<\/span>
\ngives you the power to do miracles and to fly?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Narada answered: \u201cThey know me as Narada. I am the Great<\/span>
\nBrahma from the Brahma heavens. I come here for your benefit, to<\/span>
\nopen your eyes, to deliver you from false doctrines and to enlighten<\/span>
\nyou with the Truth. Loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic-joy<\/span>
\nand equanimity are my virtues. I followed these virtues<\/span>
\ndiligently while I was a human and I practiced truthfulness,<\/span>
\nmorality, self-control, and generosity. These virtues enabled<\/span>
\nme to become a Brahma, the highest celestial being. I have the<\/span>
\npower to go wherever I want and to be as swift as my thought.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king remarked, \u201cYou claimed that the virtue of good deeds<\/span>
\ngives you this power. Tell me, are there really heaven and hell?\u201d<\/span>
\nNarada answered: \u201cThere are indeed heaven and hell. But<\/span>
\nmen blinded by greed, hatred and delusion, fail to see them. Just<\/span>
\nlike a blind man who cannot see the sun and says there is no sun,<\/span>
\na man blinded by defilements cannot see life after death and he<\/span>
\nsays there is no heaven, there is no hell, and there is no afterlife.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king laughed when he heard this. He spoke sarcastically, \u201cIf you<\/span>
\nreally believe there are heaven and hell, then lend me five<\/span>
\nhundred pieces of money and I will give you a thousand in the<\/span>
\nnext world.\u201d<\/span>
\nNarada warned him: \u201cIf you were a virtuous man, I would<\/span>
\ngladly lend you the money, for it is not hard to collect a debt<\/span>
\nfrom a man in heaven. But men like you, denying the precepts<\/span>
\nand following false doctrines, are bound for hell. If you know how<\/span>
\nbad hell is, you will see that no one would dare will see that no<\/span><\/p>\n

one would dare collect a debt from a man in such a place. There is<\/span>
\nnot just one hell, but a thousand hells. Animals of all sizes will chew<\/span>
\non your skin and bite at your bones. Flocks of ravens, crows, and<\/span>
\nvultures will prey upon you. Dogs with iron teeth will tear at<\/span>
\nyour insides. Hot winds, razor-edged mountains, burning coals,<\/span>
\nand sword-leafed trees will torture you.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen the Bodhisatta went on to elaborate the details of each hell,<\/span>
\nthe misdeeds that a person had done that made him or her<\/span>
\nbelong there, and the horrific punishments that each hell<\/span>
\nimposed upon the sinners. He then exhibited the hells and<\/span>
\npunishments that King Angati himself would have to go through<\/span>
\nand endure if he did not give up his bad practice. Imagining<\/span>
\nhimself going through these hells and suffering indescribable<\/span>
\nagonies, the king trembled with fear. Finally, he came around<\/span>
\nand asked the Bodhisatta for forgiveness and advice.<\/span>
\n\u201cI am tormented with terror, trembling like a fallen tree. I am<\/span>
\nconfused in my mind, knowing not which way to turn. You are<\/span>
\nmy lamp in the darkness and my refuge. O Sage, teach me the<\/span>
\nsacred text and its meaning; teach me the path of purity so that I<\/span>
\nmay not fall into hell.\u201d<\/span>
\nNarada, the Bodhisatta, gave him the following advice:<\/span>
\n\u201cFollow the good examples of your ancestors. Be generous, be moral<\/span>
\nand be wise. Observe moral precepts. Avoid killing, stealing, sexual<\/span>
\nmisconduct, lying and intoxication. Be righteous. Provide for the<\/span>
\npoor, the hungry, the aged, and the monastics.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cultivate your mind. Let a wholesome mind guide your thoughts,<\/span>
\nyour actions and your speech. Be humble, be gentle, and have self<\/span>
\nrestraint. Stay away from fools. Associate with the wise.<\/span>
\nDo these, and heaven will be yours.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he added: \u201cYour daughter Ruja is wise and virtuous. She is<\/span>
\nyour most true and virtuous friend. You should listen to her and<\/span>
\nclean your mind of false doctrines. It is dangerous to associate<\/span>
\nwith fools, for associating with fools turns you into a fool.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Angati thanked the Bodhisatta gratefully and vowed to follow<\/span>
\nhis advice. The king and Ruja knelt down to pay homage to the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta before he departed back to the Brahma World in a flash<\/span>
\nof light.<\/span>
\nFrom then on, King Angati ruled his kingdom dutifully and righteously<\/span>
\nas he had done before. He resumed his almsgiving and<\/span>
\npractice of moral precepts. Ruja was very happy with her father and<\/span>
\nthe population of Vedeha regained their good king. After death,<\/span>
\nKing Angati was reborn in a celestial realm.<\/span><\/p>\n

[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”09 Vidhura Jataka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF TRUTHFULNESS” el_id=”1491827186983-270df07c-2425″]\u00a0Vidhura Jataka is the story of the Bodhisatta who valued truthfulness above his own<\/span>
\nlife. Truthfulness is synonymous with honesty, integrity, sincerity, forthrightness,<\/span>
\nstraightforwardness, trustworthiness and reliability. It is one of the ten virtues that<\/span>
\nmust be perfected before an aspirant can become a Buddha.<\/span>
\nThis Jataka contains valuable insight to help a person to become a good householder,<\/span>
\nlive a righteous life, and be successful in one\u2019s career.<\/span>
\nAlthough the teachings in this Jataka are more than two thousand five hundred<\/span>
\nyears old, the principles are still practical and applicable in modern times. It is said<\/span>
\nthat a sound principle should be able to stand the test of time. The teachings in this<\/span>
\nJataka certainly do fall in this category.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rebirths of Four Young Men<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Once there were four wealthy Brahmins in the city of Benares.<\/span>
\nThese Brahmins had been friends since they were young. As old age<\/span>
\ncame upon them, they began to realize that nothing was permanent<\/span>
\nand whatever wealth they possessed would no longer be theirs after<\/span>
\nthey passed away. With this realization they decided to give all their<\/span>
\nwealth to their sons and went into the forest of Himavanta to spend<\/span>
\ntheir old age in peace and tranquility. They adopted the holy life of<\/span>
\nyogis and sustained themselves with fruits and the roots of plants<\/span>
\nfrom the forest. As time went on, all of them achieved high meditative<\/span>
\nattainments and perfected their faculties.<\/span>
\nOne day, the four yogis felt an urge to eat some flavorful dishes that<\/span>
\nthey had not had in a very long time. So they went to the city of<\/span>
\nKalacampa, in the kingdom of Anga, for alms-receiving.<\/span>
\nIn the city of Kalacampa there dwelled four rich young men who<\/span>
\nhad been good friends since childhood. When they saw the yogis,<\/span>
\nthey were struck by their sense of calm. The young men invited the<\/span>
\nyogis to their respective homes and fed them their best food. The<\/span>
\npresence of the yogis made the young men feel fulfilled spiritually.<\/span>
\nAfter having spent some time in the young men\u2019s gardens, the yogis<\/span>
\nthought of diverting themselves to otherworldly realms to continue<\/span>
\ntheir meditations. One yogi chose to visit the Tavatimsa Heaven,<\/span>
\nanother the realm of the nagas, another the realm of the garudas,<\/span>
\nand another the city of Indapatta in the kingdom of Kuru. By means<\/span>
\nof their supernatural powers, each yogi traversed to each different<\/span>
\nrealm they had chosen. They witnessed the incredible beauty<\/span>
\nand glamour of these realms and upon their return, they told the<\/span>
\nfour young men of their amazing journeys and the magnificent<\/span>
\nwealth of the realms they had visited.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first yogi spoke of the magnificently beautiful celestial realm<\/span>
\nof Tavatimsa and the glorious palace of Sakka, its ruler. The<\/span>
\nsecond spoke of the undersea kingdom of the nagas gleaming with<\/span>
\nall kinds of precious jewels and treasures. The third spoke of the<\/span>
\nfantastic wealth and beauty of the kingdom of the powerful garudas.<\/span>
\nThe fourth described the beautiful, rich city of Indapatta where its<\/span>
\nhuman king possessed every kind of material wealth that existed.<\/span>
\nThe accounts of the yogis\u2019 fascinating journeys captivated the four<\/span>
\nyoung men\u2019s imagination and greatly inspired them to wish to go<\/span>
\nthere. They realized that, only through the power of merit generated<\/span>
\nthrough acts of good deeds, could they have a chance for their wishes<\/span>
\nto be fulfilled. Hence, they dedicated themselves to practicing moral<\/span>
\nprecepts and giving alms. Every time they performed good deeds,<\/span>
\nthey made resolute wishes to be reborn as a ruler in each of the<\/span>
\nrealms that they have chosen.<\/span>
\nOn the account of their great merits and the resolutions that they<\/span>
\nhad made, at the end of their lives, each man was reborn in his<\/span>
\ndesired realm. One was born as Sakka, ruler of Tavatimsa Heaven;<\/span>
\nanother as Varuna, king of the nagas; another as Supanna, king<\/span>
\nof the garudas; and another as Dhananjaya, king of Indapatta in<\/span>
\nthe kingdom of Kuru. As for the four yogis, the virtues from their<\/span>
\nrenunciations and the mental cultivation that they had developed<\/span>
\nhad led them to be reborn in the Brahma world.<\/span>
\nDhananjaya was a king of good moral character. He ruled his kingdom<\/span>
\nrighteously and was loved by all his subjects. The king was<\/span>
\nfortunate, for he had a wise and trustworthy sage who advised him<\/span>
\nin all matters temporal and spiritual. The name of this sage was<\/span>
\nVidhura-pandita23. Vidhura was no ordinary man of wisdom, for he\u00a0was a Bodhisatta. Among his many good virtues, he was dedicated<\/span>
\nto speaking the truth and did so in such a way that men would<\/span>
\nbecome spellbound by his voice and his words. Vidhura\u2019s wisdom<\/span>
\nand eloquence charmed all the kings of Jambudvipa, who came<\/span>
\nfrom all directions to listen to his teachings and moral<\/span>
\ndiscourses. They were enthralled by his voice and his wisdom that<\/span>
\nthey wanted to remain in Indapatta and did not want to return to<\/span>
\ntheir kingdoms. King Dhananjaya treasured Vidhura so much<\/span>
\nthat he had him protected day and night so that other kings could<\/span>
\nnot steal him away.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Whose Virtue is Most Superior?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On one holy day, King Dhananjaya went to his royal park to seek a<\/span>
\nquiet place to observe the holy precepts and calm his mind through<\/span>
\nmeditation. At that same moment, Sakka, king of Tavatimsa;<\/span>
\nVaruna, king of the nagas; and Supanna, king of the garudas, all<\/span>
\nleft their respective realms to seek a peaceful place in the world of<\/span>
\nmen in order to meditate and observe moral precepts. Although<\/span>
\nthey did not know it, they all chose to go to the royal park of King<\/span>
\nDhananjaya, their old friend from their previous existence, and they<\/span>
\nfound a peaceful spot there to meditate. As evening came, they rose<\/span>
\nfrom their places and came to stand on the bank of the royal lake,<\/span>
\nwhere they discovered one another. Pleasantly surprised and filled<\/span>
\nwith their old kindly affection, they rekindled their former friendships<\/span>
\nand greeted each other with great joy.<\/span>
\nKing Sakka said to the other three, \u201cAll four of us have come here<\/span>
\nto observe the holy precepts, but have you wondered whose moral<\/span>
\nconduct is the most exemplary?\u201d<\/span>
\nVaruna, the naga king, spoke first, \u201cI believe my moral conduct is<\/span>
\nthe most exemplary because I am able to hold no hatred or enmity<\/span>
\nagainst my enemy. This Supanna, king of the garudas, is the arch<\/span>
\nenemy of the nagas, yet even when I see him, such a destructive<\/span>
\nenemy of our race, I never feel any anger.\u201d Then he went on to say,<\/span>
\n\u201cThe good man who feels no anger towards one who deserves it,<\/span>
\nand who never lets anger arise within him or allows it to be seen,<\/span>
\nhis moral conduct is indeed exemplary. Because of this, my virtue<\/span>
\nis superior.\u201d<\/span>
\nSupanna, the garuda king, spoke next, \u201cThis naga, Varuna, is my<\/span>
\nprinciple food. But even though I see such delectable food at hand,<\/span>
\nI endure my appetite and do not commit evil for the sake of food.<\/span><\/p>\n

My ability to bear my hunger and commit no evil for the sake of<\/span>
\nfood earns me an exemplary moral conduct. Because of this, my<\/span>
\nvirtue is superior.\u201d<\/span>
\nSakka expressed himself next, \u201cIn my kingdom of Tavatimsa, I am<\/span>
\nsurrounded by incomparably beautiful celestial beings and all kinds<\/span>
\nof heavenly pleasure; yet, I have left them behind and came to the<\/span>
\nworld of mankind to observe the holy precepts. Because of this, my<\/span>
\nvirtue is superior.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Dhananjaya then said, \u201cI have torn myself away from my<\/span>
\nworldly possessions and sensual pleasures in order to observe the<\/span>
\nholy precepts alone in this park. I have come to realize that material<\/span>
\nwealth is the cause of worry and unhappiness. I left it all for the<\/span>
\nsake of solitude. He who is self-restrained, resolute, unselfish, and<\/span>
\nfree from desire, is indeed exemplary in moral conduct. His virtue<\/span>
\nis superior.\u201d<\/span>
\nThus they each declared their own virtue as superior and could not<\/span>
\ncome to any accord. Then the three celestial kings asked Dhananjaya,<\/span>
\n\u201cGood fellow, in your esteemed kingdom, is there a wise and<\/span>
\njust sage who can resolve this doubt for us?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cIndeed there is such a sage here,\u201d King Dhananjaya answered<\/span>
\nproudly. \u201cHis name is Vidhura-pandita. He fills a post of unequalled<\/span>
\nresponsibility in my kingdom and declares civil and moral law. He<\/span>
\nis well respected by all the kings in the entire continent of Jambudvipa.<\/span>
\nHe is one who can solve our doubt.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cWell then, let\u2019s go to see this sage,\u201d said the other three.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Incomparable Sage<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

So they left the park and went to the Hall of Truth in King Dhananjaya\u2019s<\/span>
\ncourt, a meeting place where secular and spiritual matters<\/span>
\nwere discussed. They invited Vidhura to sit on a high seat, and<\/span>
\nafter exchanging words of greeting, the four kings presented<\/span>
\nthe Bodhisatta with this query: \u201cHonorable Sage, the four of us<\/span>
\nhad a discussion about moral conduct and debated among us as to<\/span>
\nwhose conduct was the most exemplary. We would like you to<\/span>
\nhelp clear our doubts.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe sage asked them to give him the detail of their discussion and<\/span>
\ntheir debates. After hearing them, he said:<\/span>
\n\u201cAll of your viewpoints are well-founded. These sayings are<\/span>
\nwell spoken.<\/span>
\nRestraining one\u2019s anger, abstention from killing, abstention from<\/span>
\nsensual pleasures, and renouncing the world in favor of spiritual<\/span>
\ndevelopment, all are equally worthy.<\/span>
\nEach virtue is as important as the next. They are like the spokes<\/span>
\nof the hub. He who is endowed with all the four virtues is<\/span>
\nindeed noble.\u201d<\/span>
\nWell pleased with what they heard, the four kings remarked, \u201cYou<\/span>
\nare wise indeed. Your wisdom is incomparable. You cut away our<\/span>
\ndoubts as smoothly as a skilled craftsman cut away the ivory with<\/span>
\nhis saw.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Each of the kings rewarded the sage to show their appreciation.<\/span>
\nSakka gave him a robe of heavenly silk, the garuda king with a garland<\/span>
\nof gold, the naga king with the precious jewel that he wore on<\/span>
\nhis neck, and King Dhananjaya with a thousand cows, a noble bull,<\/span>
\nand tributes from sixteen villages.<\/span>
\nThen Sakka and the rest, after having paid due honor to the sage,<\/span>
\ndeparted to their own kingdoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Get Me Vidhura\u2019s Heart<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Varuna, the naga king returned to his undersea kingdom. His<\/span>
\nnaga queen, Vimala, noticed the precious jewel missing from<\/span>
\nhis neck and asked him what happened to it. Varuna replied, \u201cI<\/span>
\nwas pleased at hearing the enlightening discourse of Vidhurapandita,<\/span>
\nthe sage of Indapatta, so I presented the jewel to him as<\/span>
\ntoken of my appreciation. Not only was I the only one who did<\/span>
\nthis, King Sakka, King Supanna, and King Dhananjaya all did the<\/span>
\nsame.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cHe is, I suppose, eloquent in the law,\u201d said Queen Vimala.<\/span>
\n\u201cLady, that is an understatement. It is as if a Buddha had appeared<\/span>
\nin Jambudvipa! A hundred and one kings in Jambudvipa who<\/span>
\nheard him speak were all captivated by his enchanting voice and his<\/span>
\nbrilliance and they did not want to return to their own kingdoms.<\/span>
\nThey remain like wild elephants mesmerized by the sound of a<\/span>
\ncelestial lute.\u201d<\/span>
\nWhen Queen Vimala heard the alluring description of Vidhura\u2019s<\/span>
\npreeminence she longed to hear his voice. As a female, it would have<\/span>
\nbeen unbecoming for her to ask her husband to bring Vidhura to<\/span>
\nher. She thought up an idea: \u201cI will pretend to be ill and complain<\/span>
\nof a sick woman\u2019s longing.\u201d With that idea, she lay in bed and told<\/span>
\nher attendants to tend to her as if she was gravely ill. When Varuna<\/span>
\nfailed to see her for days, he asked the attendants where the queen<\/span>
\nwas. They told him that she was sick and bed-stricken. With great<\/span>
\nconcern, he went to see her and asked her, \u201cDear wife, what made<\/span>
\nyou ill? Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Answered the queen, \u201cMy lord, in the human realm, it\u2019s normal<\/span>
\nfor an expectant mother to crave a certain food. I too am suffering<\/span>
\nfrom a certain craving.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cWhat is it that you crave? I will bring it to you,\u201d said Varuna.<\/span>
\n\u201cMy lord, I wish to have a taste of Vidhura\u2019s heart. Please fetch it<\/span>
\nfor me and please make sure that the sage is not bruised in any way.<\/span>
\nAs soon as I can have a taste of his heart, I will be able to recover<\/span>
\nquite quickly. Otherwise, I\u2019m afraid I won\u2019t be able to be with you<\/span>
\nmuch longer.\u201d<\/span>
\nQueen Vimala\u2019s request startled Varuna. He misinterpreted her request<\/span>
\nthinking that she wanted the flesh of Vidhura\u2019s heart although<\/span>
\nthat was not what she meant. He said to her in a dejected manner,<\/span>
\n\u201cMy love, your craving for Vidhura\u2019s heart is like the craving for the<\/span>
\nsun or the moon. It is not possible to fulfill. Vidhura is<\/span>
\ncherished by all the kings of Jambudvipa and he is well guarded.<\/span>
\nThere is no way to get close to him. It will not be possible to<\/span>
\nbring him here.\u201d<\/span>
\nQueen Vimala said disappointedly, \u201cSince my craving cannot<\/span>
\nbe satisfied, I might as well say my farewell to you now.\u201d She<\/span>
\npretended to become sicker and turned her back to him. She<\/span>
\npulled the cover over her face and lay very still. Although Varuna<\/span>
\nwished to save the life of his queen, he was distraught at the<\/span>
\nthought of causing harm to the noble sage. Who would have the<\/span>
\nmind and heart to carry out such a low deed? His face became old<\/span>
\nand withered.<\/span><\/p>\n

The next morning, Princess Irandati, Varuna\u2019s beautiful daughter,<\/span>
\nwent to pay respect to her father in his bed chamber. She noticed<\/span>
\nher father was looking sad and pale.<\/span>
\nShe asked him, \u201cWhat is troubling you, father? You look so worried<\/span>
\nand pale, like a lotus mauled by a human hand.\u201d<\/span>
\nTo which he answered, \u201cIt is your mother, my child. She has suddenly<\/span>
\nfallen ill and her condition is quickly deteriorating. She<\/span>
\ncraves for Vidhura\u2019s heart and would die unless her craving is<\/span>
\nsatisfied. There is no one in my court who can bring Vidhura<\/span>
\nhere. There is no way to save her.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he said, \u201cMy daughter, there is one hope, if you are willing to<\/span>
\ndo one thing to save your mother\u2019s life. Go outside the naga realm<\/span>
\nand look for a husband, someone with a supernatural power who<\/span>
\ncould wrest the heart from Vidhura.\u201d<\/span>
\nIt was not characteristic of Varuna, who was righteous by<\/span>
\nnature, to be making such an unethical request of his daughter,<\/span>
\nbut the concern for his wife\u2019s life had clouded his sense of decency.<\/span>
\nPrincess Irandati, being an obedient child, obeyed her father\u2019s<\/span>
\nrequest without questioning. She adorned herself with a sumptuous<\/span>
\ndress and went forth in the night to Mount Kalagiri near<\/span>
\nHimavanta, a place where deities and supernatural beings dwelled,<\/span>
\nand looked for a husband. She gathered fragrant flowers of all colors<\/span>
\nand made a bed with the most beautiful ones. Then she began a\u00a0seductive dance and sang a song with an inviting tone: \u201cWhat deity<\/span>
\nor human, what demon or sage, what naga or yakkha, that is able<\/span>
\nto make all wishes come true, will marry me this very night?\u201d Her<\/span>
\npassionate voice echoed throughout the atmosphere and was heard<\/span>
\nby all the divine beings.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Punnaka the Yakkha<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At that time there was a high-ranking yakkha, named<\/span>
\nPunnaka, riding on his magic horse over the red arsenic<\/span>
\nsurface of the Black Mountain to a gathering of the yakkhas,<\/span>
\nand he heard Irandati\u2019s love call. Irandati\u2019s voice pierced his skin<\/span>
\nand nerves and penetrated his every bone; he fell in love with<\/span>
\nher immediately. Irandati\u2019s love call had such a strong and<\/span>
\nimmediate impact on Punnaka because, in several of his<\/span>
\nprevious lifetimes, he and Irandati used to be husband and<\/span>
\nwife. Their love relationship in the past was a powerful<\/span>
\nforce that pulled Punnaka to her. Punnaka stopped short,<\/span>
\nlistened to her voice, and changed his direction towards her<\/span>
\nimmediately. When the two met, they were completely<\/span>
\nenamored with each other and fell in love, and they agreed to<\/span>
\nbecome husband and wife. But, for them to join in<\/span>
\nmatrimony, Irandati told the yakkha that she had to gain her<\/span>
\nfather\u2019s permission. So, together, they rode to her father\u2019s palace<\/span>
\nto ask for his blessing. When King Varuna saw Punnaka he<\/span>
\napproved of him, but declared that he would only give his<\/span>
\ndaughter to him on one condition, that Punnaka first obtain the<\/span>
\nflesh of the heart of Vidhura and bring it to his queen.<\/span>
\nPleased at the chance to prove his extraordinary powers,<\/span>
\nPunnaka readily accepted the challenge. He ordered his servant<\/span>
\nto bring his horse and decorated it with gold and jewels from ear<\/span>
\nto hoof. He trimmed his hair and beard, dressed in his most<\/span>
\nextravagant attire, and rode off into the sky to Indapatta where<\/span>
\nVidhura dwelled.<\/span>
\nAs he went through the air he pondered, \u201cVidhura is well protected;<\/span>
\nhe cannot be taken by force. I must come up with a clever way to<\/span>
\ncapture him. King Dhananjaya is renowned for his skill in dice and<\/span>
\nloves to gamble. I will challenge him in a game of dice and win the\u00a0game using my supernatural powers. But the king will surely not<\/span>
\nplay for any common bet; I will have to bring something of great<\/span>
\nvalue to entice him. Now, there is one legendary gem belonging to<\/span>
\nthe Universal Monarch24 known for its magical power. This gem is<\/span>
\nlocated on the Vepulla Mountain and is guarded by yakkhas of lesser<\/span>
\nranks. I will wrestle it from these yakkhas and use it to entice the<\/span>
\nking to a game.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo Punnaka went to Mount Vepulla searching for the legendary<\/span>
\ngem. Through his supernatural vision, he saw a mysterious light<\/span>
\nradiating through a crevice on top of the mountain. He went to it,<\/span>
\nbut was stopped by a group of young yakkhas who were guarding<\/span>
\nthe gem. Punnaka overpowered these young yakkhas and caused<\/span>
\nthem to flee. He seized the gem, then mounted his noble steed and<\/span>
\nrushed through the sky to Indapatta.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Play Me a Game of Dice<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Punnaka, disguised as a young man, entered the gate of King<\/span>
\nDhananjaya\u2019s court. There, he was stopped by the guards who asked<\/span>
\nhim to explain the purpose of his visit. He told them he had<\/span>
\nheard of King Dhananjaya\u2019s reputation with his skills in dice<\/span>
\nand had travelled a long way to challenge the king to play a<\/span>
\ngame of dice with him. The guards informed the king of this<\/span>
\nyoung man who dared to challenge him. The king was curious<\/span>
\nand went out to meet Punnaka.<\/span>
\nPunnaka saluted the king and said, \u201cMighty king, your<\/span>
\nreputation for mastery of dice is known throughout the land and<\/span>
\nno one in the whole of Jambudvipa has been able to beat you.<\/span>
\nAccept a game of dice with me. If you win, this wondrous horse<\/span>
\nof mine and this magic gem will be yours.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king said, \u201cFor what good reason do you think I should be<\/span>
\ninterested in this ordinary-looking horse and this ordinary-looking<\/span>
\ngem of yours?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cO, King, this is no ordinary horse and this is no ordinary gem,\u201d<\/span>
\nsaid Punnaka. \u201cThey are the most wondrous possessions in the<\/span>
\nworld. Let me exhibit to you their extraordinary features.\u201d<\/span>
\nPunnaka proceeded to demonstrate the supernatural power of<\/span>
\nhis horse. It walked on water without getting its hooves wet,<\/span>
\ntrotted on lotus leaves without damaging the leaves, flew through<\/span>
\nthe air, stood on the palm of his hand, and other incredible feats.<\/span>
\nThen he commanded the magic gem to perform miracles,<\/span>
\nshowing inside it images of the various realms of heavens, nagas,<\/span>
\ngarudas, and their respective cities and treasures. Then he\u00a0commanded it to create vari-ous living creatures, the sun, the<\/span>
\nmoon, and the constellations. He told the king that the gem had<\/span>
\nthe power to attract wealth and other auspicious things to its<\/span>
\nowner.<\/span>
\nThe king was so dazzled by Punnaka\u2019s magic possessions that he<\/span>
\nenthusiastically accepted the game. He thought to himself, \u201cI<\/span>
\nam the best dice player in all of Jambudvipa. I have yet to lose<\/span>
\nto anyone and I will not lose today.\u201d He said to the young<\/span>
\nPunnaka, \u201cI will take your bet. If I win I will own your magic<\/span>
\nhorse and your magic gem.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cWhat if you lose?\u201d asked Punnaka.<\/span>
\n\u201cIf I lose, you can take everything I own except myself, my queen<\/span>
\nand my throne,\u201d the king replied.<\/span>
\nPunnaka accepted the bet. The king gave orders to his ministers<\/span>
\nto get the hall ready for the match. A platform was set up in<\/span>
\nthe middle of the hall and a game table and two well-appointed<\/span>
\nchairs were placed upon it. Seats surrounded them prepared for<\/span>
\nthe hundred and one kings and senior courtiers. Then the king<\/span>
\nentered the hall with Punnaka followed by the hundred and one<\/span>
\nkings and the courtiers. After everyone had been seated, the<\/span>
\nofficial placed the golden dice on the silver board and signaled for<\/span>
\nthe game to begin. Punnaka asked the hundred and one kings to<\/span>
\nwitness the outcome of the game and hold the players to it.<\/span>
\nThe king and the others agreed to the arrangement.<\/span><\/p>\n

King Dhananjaya had a guardian angel, who used to be his mother<\/span>
\nin a previous existence. This angel watched over the king and made<\/span>
\nsure that he always won in his dice games. This was the reason why<\/span>
\nthe king had never lost.<\/span>
\nPunnaka let the king be the first to throw the dice. For the first two<\/span>
\nthrows the king sensed that the dice was not going to fall in<\/span>
\nhis favor and he caught them in mid air before they touched the<\/span>
\nboard. Punnaka noticed something strange was happening that<\/span>
\nthe king was able to foretell the outcome of the dice. So he<\/span>
\nlooked around the hall with his supernatural eyes and he saw a<\/span>
\nfemale angel floating behind the king watching over his game. He<\/span>
\nmade a threatening gaze at her and scared her away.<\/span>
\nWith the guardian angel gone, the king could no longer control his<\/span>
\nluck. On the third throw, his dice fell against him. Punnaka, on the<\/span>
\nother hand, was a high-ranking yakkha who possessed supernatural<\/span>
\npowers. He used his powers to control the dice in his favor and<\/span>
\nmade the king lose his game. After the game was over, Punnaka<\/span>
\ndeclared, \u201cI won, I won, I won!\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king was agitated at his loss but had to accept his defeat in front<\/span>
\nof the hundred and one kings who witnessed it. He said to Punnaka<\/span>
\nin an unhappy tone of voice, \u201cTake my elephants, horses, oxen, and<\/span>
\nmy jewels as your prize and leave.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cElephants, horses, oxen and jewels?\u201d Punnaka smiled cunningly,<\/span>
\n\u201cThese are not what I am after. There is one prize which is the best<\/span>
\nof them all. This prize is your good sage, Vidhura-pandita. I have\u00a0won this prize. Give him to me.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king replied: \u201cThis is not possible. Vidhura is a part of me. He<\/span>
\nis my life, my shadow and my refuge, and as such he is myself. As<\/span>
\nI said from the beginning, if I lose you can take everything I own<\/span>
\nexcept myself, my queen and my throne. Vidhura is a part of me;<\/span>
\nnot a part of my possessions. You cannot have him.\u201d<\/span>
\nPunnaka said to the king, \u201cI see that we are having a difference of<\/span>
\nopinion, and I do not see that we can come to this accord easily.<\/span>
\nInstead of engaging in a dispute between us which could be lengthy,<\/span>
\nlet us go to Vidhura-pandita and ask him to decide this matter<\/span>
\nfor us.\u201d The king went along with Punnaka thinking that the sage<\/span>
\nwould take his side instead of the stranger\u2019s. They left the game hall<\/span>
\nand went to the Hall of Truth, followed by the hundred and one<\/span>
\nkings and the courtiers. The king sent for Vidhura and invited him<\/span>
\nto sit on a high seat.<\/span>
\nAfter having paid due respect to Vidhura, Punnaka said to him,<\/span>
\n\u201cDear Sage, you are a just man, one who values truthfulness above<\/span>
\nyour own life. This fact is known throughout the land. I will find<\/span>
\nout today whether this fact is true or not. The king and I have a<\/span>
\ndifferent opinion about whether he has the right to give you away<\/span>
\nas a gambling debt. I ask you to clarify to me are you in a position<\/span>
\nsuperior to the king or are you his equal; are you his kinsman or are<\/span>
\nyou his slave, his possession?\u201d<\/span>
\nVidhura knew he could avoid being taken by Punnaka if he told<\/span>
\nPunnaka that he was not the king\u2019s slave or possession and so the\u00a0king would have no right to give him away as a gambling debt. But<\/span>
\nthe Bodhisatta chose to be truthful. He said to Punnaka, \u201cThere are<\/span>
\nfour types of slaves in this world. The first is a slave by birth, because<\/span>
\nhe has slaves as parents; the second is a slave by trade, because he<\/span>
\nis sold into slavery; the third is a slave by his own free will; and the<\/span>
\nfourth is a slave by being a prisoner of war. I myself am a slave<\/span>
\nby birth to the king and thus I am his possession.\u201d<\/span>
\nPunnaka said, \u201cIf you are the king\u2019s possession, then the king has the<\/span>
\nright to give you away as a gambling debt.\u201d<\/span>
\nVidhura replied, \u201cI am a possession of the king; if the king wishes to<\/span>
\ngive me away as a gambling debt he has the right to do so.\u201d<\/span>
\nPunnaka was overjoyed when he heard this. He declared, \u201cHonorable<\/span>
\nSage, your truthfulness is indeed as it is reputed. I have won<\/span>
\nyou as my prize, witnessed by all the hundred and one kings. You<\/span>
\nnow belong to me and I will take you with me as my possession.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king was gravely annoyed that Vidhura did not take his side<\/span>
\nand save himself from being taken by Punnaka. In frustration, he<\/span>
\nturned to Punnaka and said to him, \u201cIf he thinks he is my slave, not<\/span>
\nmy kinsman, then take him and go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Dhamma for Householders<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The king had deeply regretted losing Vidhura. Realizing that he<\/span>
\nmight never see the Bodhisatta again, the king asked him to give one<\/span>
\nfinal discourse to his assembly before he left.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said to Vidhura: \u201cDear Sage, we may never see each other again.<\/span>
\nAfter you are gone I will have no one to give me proper wisdom<\/span>
\nand insight, to tell me the higher knowledge, and to show me the<\/span>
\nway to a happy afterlife. Before you leave, I ask that you enlighten<\/span>
\nme and my assembly with the knowledge of the right conduct for<\/span>
\na householder. Tell me what good conduct a householder has to<\/span>
\nperform that will give him safety in this world and the next; how he<\/span>
\nshould help others and not cause suffering to others; how he should<\/span>
\nspeak only the truth; and what he has to do so that he would not fall<\/span>
\ninto an unfortunate state after he leaves this world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With penetrating wisdom the Bodhisatta knew the answers right<\/span>
\naway. He began his discourse as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cO King, there are twenty ways in which a householder should<\/span>
\nconduct himself in order to gain a prosperous life, to be loved among<\/span>
\nhis own people, and to be free from suffering in this world and<\/span>
\nthe next.<\/span><\/p>\n

A good householder should not commit adultery.<\/span><\/p>\n

He should share a good meal with others.<\/span><\/p>\n

He should not engage in quarrels and arguments.<\/span><\/p>\n

He should observe the Five Precepts by not killing, not stealing, not<\/span>
\ncommitting sexual misconduct, not lying and not engaging in any<\/span>
\nform of intoxication.<\/span><\/p>\n

He should respect good tradition and the law, abstain from unwholesome<\/span>
\ndeeds, carry out his duties wisely and efficiently, and be<\/span>
\nhumble, kind, and generous.<\/span><\/p>\n

He should practice patience and forbearance, speak only the truth,<\/span>
\nuse endearing words, and not be rude to anyone.<\/span>
\nHe should be a virtuous friend to others by helping and<\/span>
\nsupporting others, and he should give alms regularly.<\/span><\/p>\n

He should be wise in planning and managing his affairs,<\/span>
\nsupport monastics and monks, and preserve and practice good<\/span>
\ntraditions.<\/span><\/p>\n

He should accumulate knowledge through learning and listening,<\/span>
\nseek guidance from monks and teachers who are righteous, and he<\/span>
\nshould associate with the wise and the virtuous.<\/span><\/p>\n

These are practices that bring success and prosperity to a<\/span>
\nhouseholder. They protect him from harm in this life and the next.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Having thus expounded the Dhamma for Householders, the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta came down from his seat and made his salutation to the<\/span>
\nking. King Dhananjaya and the other hundred and one kings paid<\/span>
\nhim their final respects and bade him farewell.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Discourse on Good Conduct for State Officials<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Punnaka urged the Bodhisatta to leave with him right away for fear<\/span>
\nthat King Dhananjaya might change his mind and prevent them<\/span>
\nfrom going, but the Bodhisatta asked that he be given three days to<\/span>
\nrelinquish his personal affairs and to give his final teachings to his<\/span>
\nchildren. Punnaka consented.<\/span>
\nVidhura invited Punnaka to stay at his home during these three<\/span>
\ndays. Punnaka accepted his invitation. He was very well taken care<\/span>
\nof. He was given the best accommodation, the best food and drink,<\/span>
\nthe best entertainment, and the best services from a host of Vidhura\u2019s<\/span>
\nservants who catered to his every need.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta gathered his wife, children and attendants and bade<\/span>
\nfarewell to them. He embraced his wife and children, and with tears<\/span>
\nin his eyes, said this to them:<\/span>
\n\u201cMy dearest, let me embrace you for the last time, for I may never<\/span>
\nsee you again. I have been given by the king to this young man,<\/span>
\nPunnaka, who will take me away. I only have three days to remain<\/span>
\nwith you. Come, dear ones, sit down and listen to me. I want to<\/span>
\nshare with you knowledge and wisdom that will help you be successful<\/span>
\nin life, both for your careers and for getting along in life.<\/span>
\nDear children, one day you may choose to enter the services of the<\/span>
\nking and perform duties for your country. Listen well, and pay good<\/span>
\nattention. It is a good way of practice that was observed by appointees<\/span>
\nof the king since the olden days. Following this practice will<\/span>
\nensure a bright and prosperous career for you.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen the Bodhisatta began a lesson, which became known as the<\/span>
\nDiscourse of Good Conduct for State Officials:<\/span>
\n\u201cA state official should be recognized and promoted only after he<\/span>
\nhas done something useful for the state.<\/span>
\nHe should not be so brash as to have no concern for the consequences<\/span>
\nof his actions; neither should he be so cowardly that he<\/span>
\nsubmits himself to injustice and partiality as a result of fear and in<\/span>
\nan attempt to save his own skin.<\/span>
\nHe should safeguard his king from danger; keep his secrets, not to<\/span>
\nbetray his confidence, and to check his own egotism should the king<\/span>
\nneglect or slight him in any way.<\/span>
\nHe should perform every task to the best of his talent and abilities,<\/span>
\nwith consistency, reliability and fairness, and serve his king with<\/span>
\nintelligence and bravery.<\/span>
\nHe should be watchful of his behavior, not to walk on the<\/span>
\npath prepared for the king and not to do anything that would<\/span>
\noffend the king.<\/span>
\nHe should not put himself on an equal status with the king, seat<\/span>
\non the same level as the king, adorn himself with garments and<\/span>
\nornaments or use things of equal quality or status as the king\u2019s. He<\/span>
\nshould not abuse his privileges thinking that he is the king\u2019s favorite,<\/span>
\nand should not talk in the same tone or act in the same way as the<\/span>
\nking, and not to mimic him.<\/span><\/p>\n

In attending to the king, he should not position himself too close or<\/span>
\ntoo far from the king; he should not show intimacy with the king\u2019s<\/span>
\nconsorts or be playful with them in private, or act pompously in the<\/span>
\npresence of the king.<\/span>
\nHe should not be extravagant or greedy, indulge in too much sleep<\/span>
\nor too much eating, over-engage in sexual activities, be intoxicated,<\/span>
\nor let his conduct become blemished in any way.<\/span>
\nHe should be gentle and polite, friendly and truthful, not be<\/span>
\narrogant, not speak falsely or offensively in the presence of royalties,<\/span>
\nnot be contrary to the king or displease him, or irritate him with<\/span>
\nhis words; and he should be wise in knowing the temperament of<\/span>
\nthe king.<\/span>
\nHe should not mistake the king for his friend, be carried away with<\/span>
\nthe king\u2019s praises, or voice an opinion quickly or pose an objection<\/span>
\nwhen the king grants favors or rewards to his relatives or employees.<\/span>
\nHe should be useful and loyal, diligent and conscientious in his<\/span>
\nwork and duties, exercise morality and self-restraint, not pilfer or<\/span>
\nsteal from the treasury, kill or harm animals in protected areas, or<\/span>
\ncause work to be disrupted.<\/span>
\nHe should speak only the truth, speak with kindness, not be divisive<\/span>
\nin his speech, not engage in useless chatter, not be too talkative or<\/span>
\ntoo quiet, or be quick to anger.<\/span>
\nHe should be well learned in the arts, experienced in business,<\/span>
\nPunnaka urged the Bodhisatta to leave with him right away for fear<\/span>
\nthat King Dhananjaya might change his mind and prevent them<\/span>
\nfrom going, but the Bodhisatta asked that he be given three days to<\/span>
\nrelinquish his personal affairs and to give his final teachings to his<\/span>
\nchildren. Punnaka consented.<\/span>
\nVidhura invited Punnaka to stay at his home during these three<\/span>
\ndays. Punnaka accepted his invitation. He was very well taken care<\/span>
\nof. He was given the best accommodation, the best food and drink,<\/span>
\nthe best entertainment, and the best services from a host of Vidhura\u2019s<\/span>
\nservants who catered to his every need.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta gathered his wife, children and attendants and bade<\/span>
\nfarewell to them. He embraced his wife and children, and with tears<\/span>
\nin his eyes, said this to them:<\/span>
\n\u201cMy dearest, let me embrace you for the last time, for I may never<\/span>
\nsee you again. I have been given by the king to this young man,<\/span>
\nPunnaka, who will take me away. I only have three days to remain<\/span>
\nwith you. Come, dear ones, sit down and listen to me. I want to<\/span>
\nshare with you knowledge and wisdom that will help you be successful<\/span>
\nin life, both for your careers and for getting along in life.<\/span>
\nDear children, one day you may choose to enter the services of the<\/span>
\nking and perform duties for your country. Listen well, and pay good<\/span>
\nattention. It is a good way of practice that was observed by appointees<\/span>
\nof the king since the olden days. Following this practice will<\/span>
\nensure a bright and prosperous career for you.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen the Bodhisatta began a lesson, which became known as the<\/span>
\nDiscourse of Good Conduct for State Officials:<\/span>
\n\u201cA state official should be recognized and promoted only after he<\/span>
\nhas done something useful for the state.<\/span>
\nHe should not be so brash as to have no concern for the consequences<\/span>
\nof his actions; neither should he be so cowardly that he<\/span>
\nsubmits himself to injustice and partiality as a result of fear and in<\/span>
\nan attempt to save his own skin.<\/span>
\nHe should safeguard his king from danger; keep his secrets, not to<\/span>
\nbetray his confidence, and to check his own egotism should the king<\/span>
\nneglect or slight him in any way.<\/span>
\nHe should perform every task to the best of his talent and abilities,<\/span>
\nwith consistency, reliability and fairness, and serve his king with<\/span>
\nintelligence and bravery.<\/span>
\nHe should be watchful of his behavior, not to walk on the<\/span>
\npath prepared for the king and not to do anything that would<\/span>
\noffend the king.<\/span>
\nHe should not put himself on an equal status with the king, seat<\/span>
\non the same level as the king, adorn himself with garments and<\/span>
\nornaments or use things of equal quality or status as the king\u2019s. He<\/span>
\nshould not abuse his privileges thinking that he is the king\u2019s favorite,<\/span>
\nand should not talk in the same tone or act in the same way as the<\/span>
\nking, and not to mimic him.<\/span>
\nDiscourse on Good Conduct for State Officials<\/span>
\ntrained in aristocratic manners, be well-mannered, value cleanliness,<\/span>
\nand be able to get along with others.<\/span>
\nHe should be prudent and brave, and keep up with good traditions.<\/span>
\nHe should be steadfast in doing good deeds, care for his parents,<\/span>
\nassociate with monastics and monks, respect them, support and take<\/span>
\ncare of them, study and get advice from them, learn from them<\/span>
\ninsight on merit, demerit, benefits and harm, and practice their<\/span>
\nadvice. He should be respectful to elders and seniors, give alms, be<\/span>
\nhelpful to those who come to seek help, and not to deprive them of<\/span>
\ntheir well-earned gifts.<\/span>
\nHe should watch out for the assets, treasury and interests of the<\/span>
\nking, and make sure that his resources do not run short.<\/span>
\nHe will not appoint anyone who is short on morals, or practice<\/span>
\nnepotism, or hire relatives who are not qualified to do the job, for<\/span>
\nthey are the dead weight that will pull him down.<\/span>
\nHe should keep away from spies and serve no other kings.<\/span>
\nThe wise man will keep his belly lithe like the bow, but will bend<\/span>
\neasily like the bamboo.<\/span>
\nOne who wishes to be prosperous in the king\u2019s service should<\/span>
\nrevere the king, for the king provides him with a good livelihood<\/span>
\nlike clouds that give rains to the fields.<\/span>
\nFollowing this practice will gain you favor and respect from the king<\/span><\/p>\n

and the esteem of everyone around you.\u201d<\/span>
\nIn closing, the Bodhisatta said to his family:<\/span>
\n\u201cTake care of yourselves and practice what I have taught you and<\/span>
\nyou will not meet with difficulty in life.<\/span>
\nDo not despair. What is happening to me is due to my own bad<\/span>
\nkamma. It is the retribution from my past misdeed which is now<\/span>
\ntaking effect. But I am sure, all the good deeds I have earnestly<\/span>
\naccumulated shall one day bear fruit, and I shall become victorious.<\/span>
\nBe strong, be courageous, and be hopeful. Most important of<\/span>
\nall, be truthful, for truthfulness is the virtue that will protect you<\/span>
\nfrom harm.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Farewell My Sage<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The next morning, he went to the king and bade his final farewell.<\/span>
\n\u201cYour Majesty, I am here to bid you farewell. I ask that Your Majesty<\/span>
\ncontinues to be kind to my loved ones. Please protect them and<\/span>
\ntheir properties. I realize that I have done you wrong by not<\/span>
\ntaking your side and I deserve to be punished. I ask that my loved<\/span>
\nones do not have to suffer the consequences of my action.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king listened to the sage in silence, then he said, \u201cVidhura,<\/span>
\nI have no desire to see you leave. I shall have the young man cut into<\/span>
\npieces and bury him in a secret place. No one will know about it.<\/span>
\nThis way, you will not have to go with him.\u201d<\/span>
\nWhen the Bodhisatta heard this he said to the king, \u201cO King,<\/span>
\nsuch an intention is unwholesome and not worthy of Your<\/span>
\nMajesty. Unwholesome deeds will lead you to the unfortunate realm.<\/span>
\nPlease maintain your righteousness and do not compromise your<\/span>
\nintegrity.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king said, \u201cMy dear sage, please do not worry; I will<\/span>
\nlook after your family as I have done in the past. I wish you all<\/span>
\nthe best and I hope that one day we will be with each other again.<\/span>
\nFarewell, my sage.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter Vidhura had finished tending to his affairs, he went to<\/span>
\nPunnaka and told him he was ready to go. Punnaka looked upon<\/span>
\nhis victim and declared, \u201cYou are about to cross from life to death.<\/span>
\nA long journey awaits you. Take hold of the tail of my magic steed.<\/span>
\nYou shall not see the world of men again.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bodhisatta answered resolutely, \u201cI fear nothing and no one,<\/span>
\nfor I have no ill-will toward anyone and I have harmed no one. My<\/span>
\nvirtues will protect me from harm.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he made a resolute wish, \u201cLet my virtues and the good deeds<\/span>
\nI have accumulated throughout my life protect me from all dangers.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter having made his resolution, he tightened his robe around him<\/span>
\nand gripped the tail of the horse.<\/span><\/p>\n

No Harm Comes to One Who is Virtuous<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Punnaka galloped his magic steed across the sky to the Black Mountain<\/span>
\nwhile Vidhura hung on to its tail. When the king and the people<\/span>
\nof Indapatta saw Punnaka and his horse take off into the sky with<\/span>
\nVidhura, they reckoned that the young stranger must not have been<\/span>
\na human but a yakkha in disguise that came to capture the sage and<\/span>
\ntake him away from them. They were angry and grieved at losing<\/span>
\nthe Bodhisatta. The king comforted them and assured them that the<\/span>
\nvirtue of goodness of the sage will protect him from harm and will<\/span>
\nreturn him to them in due time.<\/span>
\nPunnaka thought, \u201cThere is no good reason why I should keep this<\/span>
\nVidhura alive and let him be my burden. I will kill him and take his<\/span>
\nheart\u2019s flesh, then I will go to the naga world and give it to the queen<\/span>
\nand marry her daughter.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo Punnaka decided to kill the sage. As his horse traversed in great<\/span>
\nspeed, he tried to crash Vidhura\u2019s body into some big trees hoping<\/span>
\nto kill him. But every time Vidhura\u2019s body got close to the trees,<\/span>
\nthe branches would bend or part in time for the Bodhisatta to pass.<\/span>
\nThen Punnaka tried to crash him against the rocks on the side of<\/span>
\nthe mountain, but the rocks would fall away before they could harm<\/span>
\nVidhura. Each time Punnaka turned back to look at the Bodhisatta<\/span>
\nand noticed that he was still alive, he came up with different ways to<\/span>
\nkill him. But no matter what methods Punnaka used, the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta could not be killed. People who have practiced the<\/span>
\nPerfections to a high degree like the Bodhisatta are protected by<\/span>
\ndivine forces. For this reason Vidhura was shielded from physical<\/span>
\ndanger.<\/span>
\nPunnaka did not give up. He tried to frighten Vidhura to death<\/span>
\nby turning himself into demons and other fearful creatures which<\/span><\/p>\n

would have made the most courageous of men die of fear. Yet all<\/span>
\nof these terrifying forms failed to ruffle the calm of the Bodhisatta.<\/span>
\nPunnaka realized that he could no longer resort to those<\/span>
\nmeans to kill his captive and would have to use his own hand.<\/span>
\nWith the gigantic body of his yakkha form, he seized the sage<\/span>
\nviolently and whirled him around, dangling him upside down to<\/span>
\nthe earth and tried to beat him to death.<\/span>
\nStill the Bodhisatta was unscathed. He calmly addressed his executioner.<\/span>
\n\u201cYoung Punnaka, you assumed the noble form of a gentle<\/span>
\nyoung man, but your true nature is depraved. You are doing a cruel<\/span>
\nand monstrous deed. Who are you? What is your reason for trying<\/span>
\nso hard to kill me?\u201d<\/span>
\nPunnaka answered, \u201cI am a high-ranking yakkha named Punnaka,<\/span>
\nnephew of the yakkha ruler. I am charged with the duty of taking<\/span>
\nyour heart to a naga queen, wife of mighty Varuna, ruler of<\/span>
\nthe naga kingdom. His queen, Vimala, is dying and desires your<\/span>
\nheart to save her from death. King Varuna offers his daughter,<\/span>
\nPrincess Irandati, to be my wife if I can bring your heart to his<\/span>
\nqueen. I have set my mind on marrying his daughter and I must<\/span>
\nkill you to get your heart so I can win the hand of my beloved<\/span>
\nIrandati.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta reflected and through his penetrative insight he<\/span>
\nimmediately perceived that everyone concerned here had<\/span>
\nmisinterpreted the naga queen\u2019s request for his heart. She had not<\/span>
\nmeant his physical heart, but it was the heart of his wisdom that<\/span>
\nshe desired, for the heart of a sage was his wisdom.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Virtues of the Righteous<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat use will my insights be if I were to be killed by Punnaka?\u201d<\/span>
\nthought the Bodhisatta. \u201cI must persuade him from killing me.\u201d<\/span>
\nVidhura said to Punnaka, \u201cMy dear Punnaka, before you kill me,<\/span>
\nI wish to present you with a Dhamma discourse that has not been<\/span>
\nheard by anyone, men or deities. I will present it to you in its<\/span>
\nentirety. After you have heard this discourse you can go ahead and<\/span>
\ncomplete your task of killing me.\u201d<\/span>
\nPunnaka thought, \u201cVidhura is a renowned sage, revered by all<\/span>
\nof Jambudvipa for his knowledge and wisdom of the truth of<\/span>
\nnature and the world. It would be a good benefit for me to hear his<\/span>
\ndiscourse.\u201d<\/span>
\nPunnaka might have appeared ferocious, but this was not his true<\/span>
\nnature. He was a yakkha of high standing and, as such, has been<\/span>
\nexposed to a degree of righteous practice. His beastly action was<\/span>
\ncaused by his lust for Irandati which blinded his sense of righteousness.<\/span>
\nThe thought of hearing a Dhamma discourse softened his<\/span>
\nheart. He understood that it was a tradition for a Dhamma teacher<\/span>
\nbefore presenting a discourse to his audience to clean his body<\/span>
\nand mind and for the audience to place the teacher on an elevated<\/span>
\nseat. So Punnaka brought the Bodhisatta bathwater to clean his<\/span>
\nbody. He then brought him fresh attire and some food, and<\/span>
\nadorned the area with flowers. He placed the Bodhisatta on a<\/span>
\nstone slab and waited for him to begin his discourse.<\/span>
\nAfter the Bodhisatta was seated, he began the discourse, now called<\/span>
\nThe Virtues of the Righteous, with the following words:<\/span>
\n\u201cO youth, follow the path already traversed; do not burn the wet<\/span>
\nand innocent hand; do not be treacherous to good friends; do not<\/span>
\nsubmit to unchaste women.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Yakkha, unable to comprehend these four rules expressed<\/span>
\nso concisely, asked the Bodhisatta to explain them in detail and<\/span>
\nthe Bodhisatta expounded as follows:<\/span>
\n\u201cIn whosesoever house a man dwells, even for one night, and<\/span>
\nreceives food and drink there, let him not conceive an evil thought<\/span>
\nagainst the host in his mind. The one who prepares food and drink<\/span>
\nis known as one who has his hands wet; he who is treacherous to his<\/span>
\nfriend burns the wet and innocent hand.<\/span>
\nLet not a man break a bough of that tree under whose shadow he<\/span>
\nsits or lies. Such a wretch is treacherous to his friend. He is known<\/span>
\nas one who is ungrateful. Reciprocate kindness with kindness, and<\/span>
\ntravel the path already traversed by your benefactor.<\/span>
\nA man gives his wealth and riches to the woman whom he has<\/span>
\nchosen, yet she despises him and slanders him at every opportunity;<\/span>
\nthis is an unchaste woman. Let him not submit to unchaste women.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus does a man follow the path already traversed; thus does he<\/span>
\nnot burn the wet and innocent hand; thus does he not fall into the<\/span>
\npower of unchaste women.<\/span>
\nSuch a man is righteous.<\/span>
\nO Punnaka, you should adopt the Virtues of the Righteous and<\/span>
\nabandon unrighteousness for this is the practice that will shelter<\/span>
\nyou from hell and open doors to heaven.\u201d<\/span>
\nThus did the Bodhisatta reveal to the yakkha with a Buddha\u2019s deep<\/span>
\nand simple truth of the four duties of a good man.<\/span>
\nPunnaka listened to the Bodhisatta\u2019s discourse attentively. He became<\/span>
\naware that he practiced none of these virtues. His conscience<\/span>
\ntold him, \u201cVidhura-pandita welcomed me, a total stranger, to his<\/span>
\nhome; he extended gracious hospitality to me, made sure that I was<\/span>
\nwell accommodated, and looked after me like his own best friend.<\/span>
\nNot only have I not followed the path already traversed by repaying<\/span>
\nhim in kind, but I have been intent on killing him. I have both tried<\/span>
\nto burn a wet and innocent hand and harmed a virtuous friend. I<\/span>
\ndrove myself to commit such heinous acts because of my lust over<\/span>
\nIrandati. I have violated all four duties of a good man, the Virtues<\/span>
\nof the Righteous.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Punnaka saw with clarity the evidence of his wrongdoing and he<\/span>
\nbecame deeply regretful. He resolved to change his way of behavior<\/span>
\nand to turn himself to the practice of the Virtues of the Righteous.<\/span>
\nHis resolve unshackled his mind and made him feel like a new person.<\/span>
\nHe made his apologies to the Bodhisatta for his vicious acts<\/span>
\nand offered to take him back to Indapatta. But the Bodhisatta<\/span>
\nasked that he be taken to the naga kingdom in order to resolve<\/span>
\nthe misunderstanding. Together, they rode on Punnaka\u2019s horse<\/span>
\ntoward the naga kingdom.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I Feel No Fear, For I Have Done Nothing Wrong<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

They arrived at the splendid palace of the naga king and met with<\/span>
\nVaruna. Varuna greeted the Bodhisatta and said to him, \u201cYou seem<\/span>
\nto have no fear of danger coming to this fearsome naga kingdom<\/span>
\nof mine and you refused to pay homage to a king. This is not<\/span>
\nconsidered an act of a wise man.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe sage responded, \u201cGreat King of the naga world, I feel no fear,<\/span>
\nfor I have done nothing wrong and I have harmed no one. I did not<\/span>
\npay homage to you because it is not a practice for a prisoner to pay<\/span>
\nhomage to his executioner who is about to kill him, and it is not<\/span>
\nreasonable for an executioner to expect his prisoner of death to pay<\/span>
\nhomage to him. There is no benefit in paying such homage. And<\/span>
\nsince you have commanded Punnaka to kill me, what good reason<\/span>
\nis there for me to pay you homage?\u201d<\/span>
\nInstead of being cross at the Bodhisatta for making such a bold<\/span>
\nstatement to him, the naga king saw wisdom in the Bodhisatta\u2019s<\/span>
\nwords, and was impressed with him.<\/span>
\nThen Vidhura asked him, \u201cYou are the mighty ruler of this distinguished<\/span>
\nkingdom and your abode is magnificent, how did you come<\/span>
\ninto the possession of such immense wealth and power?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe naga king replied, \u201cHonorable Sage, these possessions are the<\/span>
\nresults of acts of good deeds I accumulated in a previous existence.<\/span>
\nIn that existence, my wife and I were born in the city of Kalacampa<\/span>
\nin the kingdom of Anga. We were a charitable couple who enjoyed<\/span>
\ndoing good deeds and helping others. My home was like a well<\/span>
\nwhere ascetics and mendicants could come and drink from. We gave<\/span>
\nalms and food to ascetics and we gave shelters, blankets, candles,<\/span>
\nclothes, and other necessities to the needy. We practiced good deeds<\/span>
\nand accumulated merits throughout our lives. The riches and glory<\/span>
\nthat I enjoy today are the fruits of merit from the good deeds that<\/span>
\nI have done in my past existence.\u201d<\/span>
\nVidhura said, \u201cGreat king, if you know that all of your wealth and<\/span>
\ngreatness happened because of the good deeds you have performed<\/span>
\nin the past, why then do you become reckless and not continue<\/span>
\nto perform good deeds in your present lifetime so that you can<\/span>
\ncontinue to enjoy their fruits?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cHonorable Sage, in the realm of the nagas, there are no ascetics<\/span>
\nto whom I can offer food and water and alms. How then can<\/span>
\nI accumulate merits?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cDear King, you can accumulate merit by being kind to your<\/span>
\nkinsmen and your subjects; do not cause harm and suffering to<\/span>
\nothers; and practice loving-kindness and generosity. Doing so will<\/span>
\nensure your success and happiness hereafter.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe naga king was pleased with the Bodhisatta\u2019s enlightening<\/span>
\nwords, and said to him, \u201cDear sage, I wish you to see my wife,<\/span>
\nQueen Vimala, who longs to meet you and to hear your endearing<\/span>
\nwords. Please come with me.\u201d He took the sage\u2019s hand and led him<\/span>
\nto Queen Vimala\u2019s quarters.<\/span>
\nThe king said to his wife, \u201cDearest, this is Vidhura-pandita. He\u2019s the<\/span>
\nreason that you have not had any appetite and gotten so thin and<\/span><\/p>\n

pale. This is the sage whose heart you have longed for. Pay<\/span>
\nattention to his saying and you will find peace and happiness.\u201d<\/span>
\nQueen Vimala was delighted to see the sage. She asked him the<\/span>
\nsame questions from which the naga king had asked him before.<\/span>
\nThe sage gave her the same answers as he gave the naga king which<\/span>
\nsatisfied her as it had satisfied Varuna. Then the sage encouraged her<\/span>
\nto accumulate merits by treating her subjects with generosity and<\/span>
\nloving-kindness, as the virtues from such good deeds will lead her<\/span>
\nto be reborn in a higher realm. The queen was pleased to hear this<\/span>
\nrevelation. She rewarded him graciously and asked him to deliver<\/span>
\nDhamma discourses for the benefits of all the nagas.<\/span>
\nSo Vidhura honored her request. After having heard the discourses,<\/span>
\nthe naga king said, \u201cHonorable Sage, wisdom is the heart of every<\/span>
\nsage. What we meant by wanting your heart is to have the opportunity<\/span>
\nto listen to your profound teachings. I told Punnaka to bring<\/span>
\nyour heart by a righteous means, not to blemish you in anyway<\/span>
\nphysically. Today we are delighted to have heard the most<\/span>
\nprofound Dhamma discourses from you. I shall honor my promise<\/span>
\nto Punnaka by allowing him to marry my daughter and I shall let<\/span>
\nyou go back to Indapatta City safely.\u201d<\/span>
\nPunnaka was elated to hear the king\u2019s intention. He said to Vidhura,<\/span>
\n\u201cHonorable sage, you have made it possible for me to have the princess<\/span>
\nfor my wife. I\u2019m deeply grateful to you. I wish to express my<\/span>
\nappreciation for you by giving to you this magical gem that once<\/span>
\nbelonged to the Universal Monarch. It will please me greatly if you<\/span>
\nwould take it.\u201d<\/span>
\nVidhura accepted the gem from Punnaka and thanked him. Then<\/span>
\nhe said, \u201cYoung Punnaka, congratulations for having your wish fulfilled.<\/span>
\nMay you and Irandati cherish each other and live in harmony.<\/span>
\nMay you both find happiness and peace, and be in good health.<\/span>
\nI shall accept this magical gem as token of our friendship.\u201d Punnaka<\/span>
\nthanked him for his blessings. After Vidhura said his farewell to the<\/span>
\nnaga king and queen, Punnaka mounted him on his noble steed<\/span>
\nand he climbed up to sit behind him. They rode up into the sky<\/span>
\nand in a short time arrived at the city of Indapatta. Punnaka paid<\/span>
\nhis final respect to the Bodhisatta and in lightning speed, went<\/span>
\nback to the realm of the nagas where he later married Irandati with<\/span>
\nthe blessings of the king and queen.<\/span>
\nThe night before Vidhura arrived at Indapatta, King Dhananjaya<\/span>
\nhad a dream. In his dream, he saw a great tree of wisdom standing in<\/span>
\nfront of his palace and a multitude of people worshipping it. Then a<\/span>
\ndark man wearing a red cloth and bearing weapons in his hand<\/span>
\ncame up and cut the tree down by its roots amidst the cries of<\/span>
\ndisapproval from the multitude. He dragged the tree off and<\/span>
\nwent away, and then came back and planted it again in its old<\/span>
\nplace, and departed. The king interpreted the tree of wisdom in<\/span>
\nhis dream to represent Vidhura the sage and the dark man to<\/span>
\nrepresent the yakkha that carried off the sage into the sky. And<\/span>
\nbecause the dark man brought the tree back and replanted it, he<\/span>
\ninterpreted that the yakkha was to bring back the sage.<\/span>
\nConfident that this dream of his was soon to be realized, the king<\/span>
\ntold his attendants and the people of Indapatta to look forward to<\/span>
\nthe sage\u2019s return. On that same day, Punnaka arrived with the sage\u00a0and returned him to the people of Indapatta amidst the great cheers<\/span>
\nof joy from the king and everyone.<\/span>
\nVidhura told the king everything that had happened; the reason<\/span>
\nbehind Punnaka\u2019s action and how he turned the hearts of Punnaka<\/span>
\nand the naga king and queen.<\/span>
\nHe then brought out the celestial gem and said to the king, \u201cYour<\/span>
\nMajesty, this is an auspicious gem that once belonged to the Universal<\/span>
\nMonarch. It has a supernatural power and can attract wealth<\/span>
\nand prosperity to its owner. Punnaka gave it to me as token of his<\/span>
\nfriendship. I would like to offer it to you as a symbol of my high<\/span>
\nregards for you.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king was overjoyed when he heard this. After all, this was the<\/span>
\ncelestial gem that he had wanted so badly to the point of willing to<\/span>
\nbet his fortune away. The king accepted the gem from Vidhura with<\/span>
\nexcitement and expressed his deepest thanks to the sage. The gem<\/span>
\neventually became the grand jewel of Indapatta City. To express<\/span>
\nhis appreciation for the sage and to symbolize the sage\u2019s freedom<\/span>
\nfrom captivity, the king ordered all animals in captivity to be<\/span>
\nreleased and set free. There was a great festivity in the kingdom to<\/span>
\ncelebrate this auspicious occasion, and all ascetics and monks and<\/span>
\nmendicants were given food and alms.<\/span>
\nAfter a month, the festival came to an end. The Bodhisatta, as<\/span>
\nif fulfilling a Buddha\u2019s duties, continued to teach the great assembly<\/span>
\nthe moral law and also counsel the king in all matters civic and<\/span>
\nspiritual. Abiding in his teachings and following their king, all\u00a0the inhabitants of the Kuru kingdom gave alms and performed<\/span>
\ngood deeds. At the end of their lives they went to the various<\/span>
\nheavenly realms.<\/span>
\nVidhura\u2019s pursuit of the Virtue of Truthfulness bore fruits for him<\/span>
\nin his lifetime and the next. After he passed away he was reborn in<\/span>
\nthe heavenly realm.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”10 Vessantara Jataka PERFECTING THE VIRTUE OF CHARITY” el_id=”1491827217128-540bb9db-a369″]\u00a0When Siddhattha, the Gautama Buddha, visited his father\u2019s kingdom for the first time<\/span>
\nafter he achieved the supreme Enlightenment, arrogant elders of the ruling dynasty<\/span>
\ndid not pay him respect because the Buddha was younger than them. To subdue their<\/span>
\narrogance, the Buddha performed a miracle by rising up in the air above his relatives.<\/span>
\nHis father, the king, having witnessed his son\u2019s superiority over others in the past was<\/span>
\nthe first to bow down paying respect to his own son. Seeing the king himself bowing<\/span>
\ndown to pay respect to Siddhattha, all the elders of the clan followed suit and bowed<\/span>
\ndown to pay respect as well.<\/span>
\nAt that moment, rain clouds gathered and wondrous red raindrops appeared, refreshing<\/span>
\nall and falling only on those who so wished it. The Buddha explained that this<\/span>
\nrain had appeared once before during his last existence before his present life.<\/span>
\nThen he told them the story of his previous life as King Vessantara.<\/span>
\nVessantara Jataka is a literary classic that is popular in Southeast Asia and many<\/span>
\nother Buddhist countries. It chronicles the final birth of the Bodhisatta before he<\/span>
\nbecame enlightened and attained Buddhahood in the subsequent birth as Prince<\/span>
\nSiddhattha Gautama.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Phusati\u2019s Wish<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Once upon a time, in the city of Jetuttara of the Sivi kingdom<\/span>
\nreigned a king named Sivi who had a son named Sanjaya. When<\/span>
\nPrince Sanjaya came of age, the king handed over the kingdom to<\/span>
\nhim and chose a beautiful princess named Phusati to be his queen.<\/span>
\nPhusati was a lady of extraordinary birth. In one of her past<\/span>
\nlifetimes, ninety-one eons ago, a Buddha named Vipassi took birth<\/span>
\ninto this world. Phusati in that lifetime was a kind and charitable<\/span>
\nprincess. On one occasion, she had the opportunity to pay respect<\/span>
\nto Vipassi Buddha and had made an offering of sandal wood<\/span>
\npowder to him. The extraordinary attributes and greatness of Vipassi<\/span>
\nBuddha had made a lasting impression on her. Her admiration for<\/span>
\nthe Buddha was so great that she made a resolute wish to become<\/span>
\nthe birth mother of a future Buddha.<\/span>
\nMerit gained from making offerings to a Buddha is remarkable<\/span>
\nindeed. After Phusati passed away in that lifetime, she ascended to<\/span>
\nthe celestial realm and, thereafter, went through a series of rebirths,<\/span>
\npassing to and from between the worlds of men and of angels.<\/span>
\nEventually she became the celestial queen of Sakka, sovereign of the<\/span>
\nTavatimsa heaven. She spent her celestial life in Tavatimsa happily<\/span>
\nuntil the day she had to be reborn again as a human. Before her<\/span>
\ndeparture from Tavatimsa, Sakka granted her ten wishes, one of<\/span>
\nwhich was to become the mother of a future Buddha. She descended<\/span>
\nto the human world and was born to the court of a king and later<\/span>
\nmarried to King Sanjaya.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Birth of a Future Buddha<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At that time the Bodhisatta was a celestial being in the Tavatimsa<\/span>
\nHeaven. His time in the celestial realm was about to expire and<\/span>
\nhe was due for rebirth. Sakka, foreseeing that the Bodhisatta was<\/span>
\nto become enlightened in the life immediately following the next<\/span>
\nrebirth, suggested that he be conceived in the womb of Queen Phusati.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta agreed. Whereupon, he descended to earth and<\/span>
\ntook birth in Phusati\u2019s womb.<\/span>
\nWhen Phusati became aware that she was carrying a child, she had<\/span>
\nsix alms halls built from which she distributed alms daily. King<\/span>
\nSanjaya, upon noticing her new aspiration for charity, consulted<\/span>
\nthe fortune tellers and asked them to explain the reason behind her<\/span>
\nmunificence. The fortune tellers said to the king, \u201cGreat King, in<\/span>
\nyour wife\u2019s womb is conceived a being devoted to almsgiving, whose<\/span>
\ngenerosity knows no bounds.\u201d Hearing this, the king was pleased<\/span>
\nand he, too, made a practice of giving.<\/span>
\nFrom the time of the Bodhisatta\u2019s conception, the kingdom of Sivi<\/span>
\nenjoyed a remarkable increase in wealth and revenue. By the virtue<\/span>
\nof the Bodhisatta, and the renown of his father and mother\u2019s goodness<\/span>
\nand charity, gifts and presents poured in from all the kings and<\/span>
\nrulers of Jambudvipa.<\/span>
\nAs the birth of her child grew imminent, Queen Phusati expressed<\/span>
\nthe wish to visit every part of her husband\u2019s capital city. The king<\/span>
\ngranted her request and had a lying-in shelter made ready to follow<\/span>
\nher along with a procession of attendants. As they approached the<\/span>
\nmerchant sector of the city known as Vessa, her labor began. Behind<\/span><\/p>\n

the shelter she gave birth to a son. Having taken his first breath of<\/span>
\nair from the Vessa Street in the commercial quarter, the newborn<\/span>
\nchild was named Vessantara, which meant \u201cOne Who was Born in<\/span>
\nthe Merchants\u2019 Quarter.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta came from his mother\u2019s womb free from impurities.<\/span>
\nAs soon as the infant opened his eyes, he extended his little hand<\/span>
\nto his mother and said, \u201cMother, I wish to give alms. Do you have<\/span>
\nanything for me to give?\u201d The queen was astonished at her son\u2019s<\/span>
\nability to speak at the moment of birth, but she was not<\/span>
\nfrightened. She said to him, \u201cYes, my son, give as you will,\u201d and<\/span>
\nshe handed a purse of a thousand pieces of coin to the infant.<\/span>
\nAnd so, the Bodhisatta infant, his mother, and the attendants<\/span>
\nbegan to give out money and other gifts to all the people around.<\/span>
\nOn the same day of Vessantara\u2019s birth, an extraordinary event took<\/span>
\nplace in Sivi. A female celestial elephant flew in with her newborn<\/span>
\ncalf and left the calf in the royal stable of the palace. The calf was<\/span>
\nwhite all over and endowed with auspiciousness. At the time of its<\/span>
\nappearance, Sivi was showered with rains that refreshed the entire<\/span>
\ncity. This signified a good omen for the kingdom. The white elephant<\/span>
\ncame to be the companion of the Bodhisatta as they grew up<\/span>
\ntogether. It was called Paccaya. It was on Paccaya, that Vessantara<\/span>
\nvisited his mother\u2019s alms halls six times each month to distribute<\/span>
\nalms. Indeed, many of his subjects had attributed the prosperity of<\/span>
\nthe kingdom and the helpful rains that regularly watered the fields<\/span>
\nto the virtue of the white elephant.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Born to Give<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

As a youth, Vessantara contented himself with giving away readily<\/span>
\nand frequently the things he had acquired. When he was four years<\/span>
\nold, King Sanjaya gave him a set of precious ornaments made with a<\/span>
\nhundred thousand pieces of money, but he turned around and gave<\/span>
\nthem to his nursemaids. The nursemaids were reluctant to receive<\/span>
\nthese expensive gifts and went to see the king about it. The king did<\/span>
\nnot find fault with the prince, but instead, was pleased at his generosity.<\/span>
\nThe king then had new ornaments made for him, but again,<\/span>
\nthe prince gave them all away. This happened nine times in a row.<\/span>
\nWhen he was eight years old, the boy expressed his desire to give<\/span>
\naway something of his very own, something that had not been given<\/span>
\nto him by another. He thought to himself, \u201cEverything that I have<\/span>
\ngiven so far has been of outside possessions. Such alms are not the<\/span>
\nultimate kind of giving that would lead me to Buddhahood.\u201d<\/span>
\nThen he declared, \u201cIf someone should ask for my flesh, or my<\/span>
\nlimbs, or my eyes, or my heart, I will give it to him. I am<\/span>
\nwilling to give up anything in order to perfect my Virtue of<\/span>
\nCharity and attain Buddhahood.\u201d This exalted wish attracted the<\/span>
\nattention of the gods. The earth trembled and thunder rumbled<\/span>
\nin the clouds, and rains fell throughout the kingdom. Celestial<\/span>
\nbeings in every realm rejoiced.<\/span>
\nBy the age of sixteen, the Bodhisatta had attained a mastery of all<\/span>
\nthe arts and sciences, and he possessed great wisdom and leadership<\/span>
\nqualities. The time was ripe for his father to hand over the kingdom<\/span>
\nto him. And so King Sanjaya consulted with his queen to find him<\/span>
\na worthy wife.<\/span><\/p>\n

Queen Phusati said to the king, \u201cMy brother, King Madda, has a<\/span>
\nbeautiful daughter the same age as Vessantara. Her name is Maddi.<\/span>
\nShe is a woman of high intellect and her conduct is impeccable.<\/span>
\nIt would be ideal that she become Vessantara\u2019s queen.25\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king was pleased to hear this and said to her, \u201cThis is good<\/span>
\nnews indeed. I will go to see King Madda and ask for the hand of<\/span>
\nhis daughter for our son.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo a marriage was arranged between Vessantara and Maddi. After<\/span>
\nthe marriage, King Sanjaya ceded his kingdom to Vessantara and<\/span>
\nMaddi became his queen.<\/span>
\nFrom the time of his coronation, King Vessantara distributed alms<\/span>
\ndaily, giving six hundred thousand pieces of money to the poor each<\/span>
\nday. Six times each month, the Bodhisatta would mount upon his<\/span>
\nmagnificent white elephant and visit the six alms halls. News of his<\/span>
\ngenerosity spread far and wide. All kinds of people — the poor and<\/span>
\ndeprived, the homeless, mendicants and holy men, and the needy<\/span>
\n\u2013 came from all around to the kingdom of Sivi to receive alms from<\/span>
\nVessantara.<\/span>
\nThe kingdom prospered and their marriage was happy. Soon, Queen<\/span>
\nMaddi brought forth a son and they named him Jali. By the time<\/span>
\nJali learned how to walk, the queen had birthed a daughter and they<\/span>
\nnamed her Kanhajina.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Famine in Kalinga<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In the north of the kingdom of Sivi laid a neighboring kingdom<\/span>
\ncalled Kalinga. It was a bad time for that kingdom, for a prolonged<\/span>
\ndrought had plagued the land and killed all the crops. Food which<\/span>
\nwas once abundant became scarce. All the prayers of its people, all<\/span>
\nthe supplications and offerings of its king were to no avail. Men<\/span>
\nbeing unable to grow crops and facing starvation turned to robbery.<\/span>
\nSome decided to move away to other kingdoms. Tormented by the<\/span>
\nlack of food and other hardships that followed, the people gathered<\/span>
\nin the king\u2019s courtyard and pleaded for help.<\/span>
\nKalinga-raja, the king, summoned his ministers to come up with<\/span>
\nways and means of overcoming the famine but none of them were<\/span>
\nable to do anything. The king pleaded, \u201cWe have done everything<\/span>
\nwe could, but we have no power over the rain and cannot cause it<\/span>
\nto fall. Tell me what else we should do to alleviate this dilemma.\u201d<\/span>
\nOne minister said, \u201cYour Majesty, perhaps we should prepare<\/span>
\nanother sacrificial rite. This time we will make it a grand ritual<\/span>
\ninvolving all the people. Let them bring their offerings and, together,<\/span>
\nwe will implore to the gods. If we collectively and earnestly offer up<\/span>
\nthe sacrifice, perhaps the gods will take pity on us and bring forth<\/span>
\nthe rain.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe chief minister expressed his disagreement, \u201cWhat use is there<\/span>
\nin arranging another sacrificial rite when all the grand rituals in the<\/span>
\npast have not produced anything?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king also disagreed. He said, \u201cI agree with the Chief<\/span>
\nMinister. There will be no more sacrificial rites. These rites<\/span>
\nhave done no one any good. Besides, the people are already<\/span><\/p>\n

deprived of their food and supplies. We cannot impose any more<\/span>
\nhardship onto them by asking them to give away what they have<\/span>
\nso little of.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe third minister, well versed in the area of astrology, said to<\/span>
\nthe king, \u201cYour Majesty, I\u2019ve been checking the fate of our city<\/span>
\nand found that misfortune is indeed upon us. Performing an<\/span>
\nordinary ritual will not help in this case. There\u2019s only one way left:<\/span>
\nto change the name of the city to something more auspicious.\u201d<\/span>
\nOn hearing this, the king said, \u201cOver the years, you have suggested<\/span>
\nmany astrological rituals and we\u2019ve allowed you to carry on<\/span>
\neven though they produced nothing. Now you want us to<\/span>
\nchange the name of our city. What can that accomplish? If a<\/span>
\nmere change of name could bring luck, then there would not be<\/span>
\nany poor person or poor country in this world because all they<\/span>
\nhave to do is to change their names. Besides, the name of our city<\/span>
\nhad been established by our forefathers and this name has been<\/span>
\nours since time immemorial. I will not allow the name of our city<\/span>
\nwhich has been given by our forebears to be changed during my<\/span>
\nreign. Does anyone else have other more practical suggestions?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe chief minister suggested, \u201cYour Majesty, every year on the day<\/span>
\nof your coronation anniversary, you have followed the practice of<\/span>
\nyour forefathers by keeping the Holy Precepts for one week. Although<\/span>
\nnow is not yet the time of your coronation anniversary, but<\/span>
\nbecause the people are experiencing so much hardship, now could<\/span>
\nbe a good time for you to begin the observance of the Holy Precepts.<\/span>
\nMerit gained from this practice could bring us rain, Sire.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

King Kalinga-raja thought for a moment and said, \u201cWhat Chief<\/span>
\nMinister said is quite true. I have followed this fine tradition every<\/span>
\nyear; so had my father and his father before him. I have yet to keep<\/span>
\nthe Holy Precepts this year. It will be another two to three months<\/span>
\nbefore our coronation anniversary. This is too long for us to wait.<\/span>
\nBy then there may be nothing left of our kingdom. Indeed, I should<\/span>
\nobserve the Holy Precepts starting tomorrow and I will maintain<\/span>
\nthem immaculately for the entire seven days. Let us see if this will<\/span>
\nmake a difference.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe next morning, King Kalinga-raja took off his regalia and put<\/span>
\non the white robe, a symbol of purity. He went up to the top of<\/span>
\nhis palace and prepared to observe his Holy Precepts with strict<\/span>
\ncompliance. Unfortunately, when the week was over, there was still<\/span>
\nno sign of rain.<\/span>
\nIn desperation, the king called a city-wide meeting of all of his<\/span>
\nsubjects. As the people gathered together in his courtyard, the king<\/span>
\nannounced to them, \u201cMy dear citizens, this persistent drought has<\/span>
\nbrought a great hardship to all of us. My ministers, counselors and<\/span>
\nI have done everything we could to remedy the situation, but to no<\/span>
\navail. I feel personally responsible for your suffering. I think it would<\/span>
\nbe to the best interest of the citizens of Kalinga that I abdicate from<\/span>
\nthe position of your king to make room for someone more worthy<\/span>
\nto rule this kingdom. Perhaps someone with a higher virtue and<\/span>
\nmerit than me could bring forth a better future for our kingdom.\u201d<\/span>
\nThere was a great silence and an atmosphere of sadness within the<\/span>
\ncrowd. After a while, the chief minister said to the king, \u201cYour Majesty has been a great king. You have loved and taken care of your<\/span>
\nsubjects over the years. A king such as you is not easy to come by.<\/span>
\nYour Majesty should never have to think about abdicating. We must<\/span>
\nall put our heads together and try to come up with a more viable<\/span>
\nsolution.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Kalinga-raja was at a loss for words. He was so overwhelmed<\/span>
\nby his emotions that he put his face down on his palms and cried.<\/span>
\nAll the ministers could only lower their heads and stay quiet. The<\/span>
\npeople there were filled with hopelessness.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Auspicious Elephant<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At that moment of sadness, a voice from the middle of the crowd<\/span>
\nbroke the silence. \u201cYour Majesty,\u201d said a young man who had just<\/span>
\narrived at the gathering, \u201cI believe there is a way which can help save<\/span>
\nour kingdom.\u201d<\/span>
\nThese words instantly invigorated the people. Hope returned and<\/span>
\nthe people came to life again. Every eye was on the young man.<\/span>
\nKing Kalinga-raja said to the man, \u201cYou said that there is a way to<\/span>
\nhelp us? Your words are like divine water that resurrects our dying<\/span>
\nsouls. Do tell us now what you have in mind.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe young man said, \u201cYour Majesty, not far from here is a kingdom<\/span>
\ncalled Sivi. It is a large and prosperous kingdom and its capital city<\/span>
\nis called Jetuttara. This kingdom is ruled by Vessantara, a generous<\/span>
\nking who shares what he has with the people from all walks of life.<\/span>
\nI used to live here in Kalinga but could no longer find enough food<\/span>
\nto eat so I left with my family to ask King Vessantara for help. My<\/span>
\nfamily and I were fed to our hearts\u2019 content. He also gave me money<\/span>
\nto help me establish myself in business. With this help from King<\/span>
\nVessantara I was able to build a business and become successful.<\/span>
\nI have just come back here to return to my homeland. As soon as I<\/span>
\ngot here, I heard that the people have been called to a meeting with<\/span>
\nYour Majesty so I came here to attend the meeting.\u201d<\/span>
\nHaving told everyone about who he was, the young man added,<\/span>
\n\u201cKing Vessantara owns an auspicious white elephant which<\/span>
\npossesses great powers. He can cause the rain to fall on whatever<\/span>
\npath he treads. He can cause any desperate land to become a land of<\/span>
\nplenty. If your majesty can secure this elephant, our kingdom will<\/span>
\nsurely be saved.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

King Kalinga-raja said excitedly, \u201cIs it true that this white elephant<\/span>
\nreally possesses such great powers?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe chief minister said, \u201cThat is true, Sire. Two years ago, Your<\/span>
\nMajesty sent out diplomatic emissaries to establish a relationship<\/span>
\nwith neighboring kingdoms. At the time I took the opportunity to<\/span>
\nsend soldiers along with the envoys in order to find out everything<\/span>
\nthat went on in each of the kingdoms. The report which I received<\/span>
\nfrom the soldiers about the kingdom of Sivi is the same as what this<\/span>
\nyoung man just said. The city of Jetuttara is prosperous because<\/span>
\nKing Vessantara has a companion elephant named Paccaya that<\/span>
\nattracts fortunes to his kingdom. I ask for Your Majesty\u2019s forgiveness<\/span>
\nfor not having told you earlier about this clandestine activity.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Kalinga-raja said, \u201cThat does not matter now; I know that<\/span>
\nyou did it for the good of our kingdom. Let us hear more about this<\/span>
\nelephant. How can we get him?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe same minister who suggested a sacrificial offering in the past<\/span>
\nsaid,\u201cYour Majesty, allow me to get the troops ready so that we can<\/span>
\nattack Jetuttara and bring the elephant back for Your Majesty.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe chief minister objected, \u201cSivi is a great and prosperous kingdom.<\/span>
\nIt is densely populated and its army is strong. Moreover,<\/span>
\nfrom my spies, I have found out that the auspicious elephant is<\/span>
\nespecially skilled in combating another elephant. Our kingdom, on<\/span>
\nthe contrary, has been suffering from a food shortage. Many people<\/span>
\nhave left and our soldiers are undernourished. We are no match for<\/span>
\nJetuttara.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The minister paid no attention to the chief minister\u2019s words and<\/span>
\nsaid, \u201cSire, it may be a difficult feat but we have no other alternatives.<\/span>
\nIf we do not go to war, we will starve to death.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Kalinga-raja said, \u201cGoing to war is out of the question even<\/span>
\nif our kingdom was powerful. How can we act like a thief and use<\/span>
\nforce to take away another person\u2019s possession?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe chief minister said, \u201cSire, there is another way. We should send<\/span>
\nan able diplomat to ask for the white elephant from King Vessantara<\/span>
\ndirectly.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king said discouragingly, \u201cAny king who has such an auspicious<\/span>
\nelephant in his possession will naturally treasure it. He can never<\/span>
\ngive it away.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe young man spoke up once again. \u201cBegging Your Majesty\u2019s<\/span>
\nforgiveness, but I agree with the chief minister. An able diplomat<\/span>
\nshould be sent to ask for the elephant from King Vessantara. It can<\/span>
\nwork because King Vessantara is extraordinarily generous. His fondness<\/span>
\nfor alms-giving knows no bounds. I myself used to be in a dire<\/span>
\nstate. Yet, I\u2019m now well off because I was helped by him. Sending an<\/span>
\nable diplomat to ask for the elephant is the best way, Sire.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe man\u2019s conviction convinced the king and he said, \u201cIf that can<\/span>
\nreally work, then it\u2019s our good fortune indeed.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king then turned toward the chief minister and said, \u201cMy dear<\/span>
\nChief Minister, I assign you to take care of this mission.<\/span><\/p>\n

The chief minister put together a team of eight Brahmins, headed<\/span>
\nby the most senior Brahmin named Rama, to carry out the task.<\/span>
\nAfter three days of traveling by horse they finally arrived at the city<\/span>
\nof Jetuttara. They surveyed the city and strategized on the best way<\/span>
\nto approach Vessantara. After much deliberation they concluded<\/span>
\nthat their best approach would be to disguise themselves as poor<\/span>
\nBrahmins (instead of diplomatic emissaries as they first set out to<\/span>
\ndo) to avoid the attention of Vessantara\u2019s officials who might pose an<\/span>
\nobjection to them for taking their most valuable asset away from the<\/span>
\nkingdom. They tore their clothes and soiled them, and they soiled<\/span>
\ntheir bodies with dirt and mud to make themselves look poor and<\/span>
\ndestitute. They then studied the route that Vessantara took to make<\/span>
\nhis alms rounds and decided to wait for him at the eastern gate.<\/span>
\nEarly that morning, King Vessantara mounted upon the back of his<\/span>
\nrichly adorned white elephant and proceeded to the eastern gate.<\/span>
\nGreat crowds gathered along the paths that he was approaching.<\/span>
\nThe Brahmins found no opportunity to get close to the king as he<\/span>
\nwas surrounded by great crowds of people from all directions. So<\/span>
\nthey hurried to the southern gate which was the Bodhisatta\u2019s next<\/span>
\nalmsgiving stop. There, they found a strategic position on higher<\/span>
\nground and waited for King Vessantara to arrive. After Vessantara<\/span>
\nfinished his alms giving at the eastern gate he headed toward the<\/span>
\nsouthern gate atop his mighty elephant. The Brahmins watched joyfully<\/span>
\nas King Vessantara came toward them.<\/span>
\nUpon the arrival of King Vessantara and his procession to where the<\/span>
\neight Brahmins were waiting, the eight men knelt to the ground and<\/span>
\ntogether they hailed, \u201cLong live the king; long live the king; long<\/span><\/p>\n

live the king!\u201d With the most pitiable of expressions, they stretched<\/span>
\nout their right hand in a gesture of alms-begging. Vessantara heard<\/span>
\nthe Brahmins and turned toward them. He saw the eight Brahmins<\/span>
\nmake a gesture of alms-begging and thought, \u201cI wonder what it is<\/span>
\nthat they wish to ask me for.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Vessantara then rode the elephant near the waiting Brahmins<\/span>
\nand said to them, \u201cYou have dirt on your bodies; you have dust in<\/span>
\nyour hair; and your right hands are outstretched. What is it that you<\/span>
\nwish?\u201d<\/span>
\nRama, the leader, said, \u201cYour Majesty, we are here to ask for the<\/span>
\nsublime elephant which brings prosperity to the kingdom of Sivi.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Vessantara took a closer look at the Brahmins in their disguises<\/span>
\nand thought, \u201cThey look like ordinary paupers. But paupers generally<\/span>
\nask for food to quell their hunger, or they ask for clothing to<\/span>
\nprotect them from the cold, or they ask for money to ease their<\/span>
\npoverty. But instead these men are asking me for my companion<\/span>
\nelephant. This is highly unusual. They must be court officials from<\/span>
\nanother kingdom coming here to ask for the jewel of my kingdom.<\/span>
\nI must find out what this is all about.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo he said to the Brahmins, \u201cWhere are you from and why do you<\/span>
\nhave need of this auspicious elephant?\u201d<\/span>
\nDhaja the brightest Brahmin in the group said, \u201cLord of the Sivi<\/span>
\nKingdom whose compassion knows no bounds, we have traveled<\/span>
\nhere from the kingdom of Kalinga in order to ask for Your Majesty\u2019s<\/span><\/p>\n

help. The land of Kalinga has been suffering a prolonged drought<\/span>
\nwhich killed all the crops and allowed nothing since to grow. There<\/span>
\nis a severe shortage of food in the land and the people are starving.<\/span>
\nWe have heard that Paccaya, your auspicious elephant, can cause<\/span>
\nany land to become fertile. We were sent by our king Kalinga-raja<\/span>
\nto ask for Your Majesty\u2019s help by allowing us to take the elephant<\/span>
\nback with us so that it can save Kalinga from the famine and allow<\/span>
\nits people to live as happily as the people of Sivi.\u201d<\/span>
\nUpon hearing this, Vessantara thought to himself, \u201cI have once<\/span>
\nresolved that I was willing to give away things of my own-my<\/span>
\nflesh, my blood, my life-as alms in order to perfect my Virtue of<\/span>
\nCharity so I can attain Buddhahood. Here, these men are asking<\/span>
\nfrom me something that is an outside possession, something<\/span>
\nmuch easier to give than my own body. Why then can I not give<\/span>
\nit?\u201d He then said in a resolute tone, \u201cIf my elephant Paccaya can<\/span>
\nsave Kalinga from famine and restore its land to fertility, then<\/span>
\nby all means take this elephant with you.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe dismounted and walked around the auspicious elephant three<\/span>
\ntimes to see that all the bejeweled ornaments which the elephant was<\/span>
\nwearing were in perfect shape. These items were worth a fortune:<\/span>
\nthe jewels in his necklace of pearls, the ornaments on the elephant\u2019s<\/span>
\nfour feet and his two sides, the jewels on the head, the nets of pearls,<\/span>
\ngold, and jewels on his back, a rug on his back, the small ornaments<\/span>
\non his ears and the two tusks, the ornaments for luck on his trunk<\/span>
\nand on his tail, the ornaments on his body, a ladder to mount, the<\/span>
\nfood vessel, and the jewels great and small upon the canopy. More\u00a0valuable beyond all of these was the elephant itself. All these were<\/span>
\ngiven to the Brahmins along with five hundred attendants with the<\/span>
\ngrooms and stablemen.<\/span>
\nOnce King Vessantara was satisfied that everything was in order,<\/span>
\nhe held a golden gourd with his right hand and called the Brahmins<\/span>
\nto approach. He held the elephant\u2019s trunk with his left hand<\/span>
\nand placed it on the men\u2019s palms before he poured water over it to<\/span>
\nsignify that he had given the elaborately decorated elephant to the<\/span>
\neight Brahmins of Kalinga.<\/span>
\nAs soon as the deed was done, the earth trembled and thunders<\/span>
\nroared, the same way it had happened when he made a resolute wish<\/span>
\nto give away his own body and flesh when he was eight years old.<\/span>
\nThe elephant was given to the eight Brahmins along with five hundred<\/span>
\nelephant caretakers, their families, and mahouts.26 Now that<\/span>
\nthe celebrated elephant was theirs, the Brahmins were ecstatic. Their<\/span>
\nhearts jumped with excitement as they led the elephant and the<\/span>
\nentourage away. King Vessantara returned to his palace fully content<\/span>
\nwith his charity.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The King Must Be Banished!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The residents of Sivi saw the auspicious elephant from afar and<\/span>
\nthought that King Vessantara was passing by so they came to pay<\/span>
\nhim homage, but what they saw instead was a group of paupers<\/span>
\nwalking in front of the magnificent elephant. The people said to<\/span>
\nthe Brahmins, \u201cWait, you paupers. How dare you walk in front of<\/span>
\nthe royal elephant? He is the personal elephant of our king. Where<\/span>
\nare you going with it?\u201d<\/span>
\nOne of the Brahmins told the people, \u201cWe are Brahmins who came<\/span>
\nfrom the kingdom of Kalinga which lies north of here. Our land has<\/span>
\nbeen struck by famine due to a prolonged drought and our people<\/span>
\nare starving. We came to ask King Vessantara to give us his auspicious<\/span>
\nelephant so that it will bring us the rainfall and let our land be<\/span>
\nfertile again. The great king has agreed to give the elephant to us.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cYou mean to tell us that King Vessantara has already given Paccaya<\/span>
\nour auspicious elephant to you?\u201d The city residents expressed their<\/span>
\ndisbelief.<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin said, \u201cIndeed, King Vessantara has given us the auspicious<\/span>
\nelephant. These five hundred elephant caretakers can confirm it.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe residents of Jetuttara crowded around the elephant caretakers<\/span>
\nand were told, \u201cYes, indeed, King Vessantara has given the elephant to<\/span>
\nthese Brahmins.\u201d The residents were shocked when they heard this.<\/span>
\nWhile the people were busily talking, the Brahmins told the mahout<\/span>
\nto hurry up and drive the elephant forward so as to avoid potential<\/span>
\nriot from the people. They left the city hastily and headed towards<\/span>
\nKalinga.<\/span><\/p>\n

The news quickly spread throughout the city. All the people,<\/span>
\nfrom court officials to soldiers to members of the royal family to<\/span>
\nmerchants and commoners, were distraught at King Vessantara\u2019s<\/span>
\nact. Criticisms were rife. Some were angry at the loss of the kingdom\u2019s<\/span>
\nmost precious asset; others were fearful that their kingdom<\/span>
\nwould face misfortune now that the auspicious elephant no longer<\/span>
\nremained with them.<\/span>
\nThey gathered in front of the palace and demanded to see King<\/span>
\nSanjaya27, Vessantara\u2019s father. When King Sanjaya appeared, the<\/span>
\npeople complained loudly, \u201cYour Majesty, our kingdom is doomed!<\/span>
\nKing Vessantara has put our kingdom at risk. He gave away Paccaya<\/span>
\nto strangers from a foreign land. Without Paccaya, the auspicious<\/span>
\nelephant, our kingdom will no doubt be plagued with calamities.<\/span>
\nYour Majesty must punish King Vessantara so that this kind of deed<\/span>
\nwill never happen again in the future.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Sanjaya responded, \u201cMy son Vessantara is a man of high moral<\/span>
\nground. His conduct has been without flaws. He has followed the<\/span>
\ngood royal tradition ever since he assumed the throne. You can\u2019t<\/span>
\nexpect me to have my son harmed in any way.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe people said, \u201cWe have no desire to harm King Vessantara physically<\/span>
\nor deprive him of freedom. But we want him to be banished<\/span>
\nfrom the kingdom of Sivi so that he will no longer be in a position<\/span>
\nto give away any more valuable possessions from our kingdom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

King Sanjaya did his best to appease the citizens but it was to no<\/span>
\navail. They were deeply upset at Vessantara and insisted that he be<\/span>
\nbanished from the kingdom immediately. If King Sanjaya refused<\/span>
\nto do so, they threatened to take action against both him and Vessantara.<\/span>
\nKing Sanjaya found himself in a dire position. The will of<\/span>
\nthe people had been set and they were unwilling to compromise. To<\/span>
\navoid confrontation and a potential uprising, King Sanjaya was left<\/span>
\nwith no choice but to comply with the will of his people. He said<\/span>
\nsadly, \u201cI wish to maintain harmony in our kingdom. Since you are so<\/span>
\nadamant in your decision against King Vessantara, I am compelled<\/span>
\nto go along with your will. But give him one day to say farewell to<\/span>
\nhis family. Let him depart tomorrow.\u201d The people consented. With<\/span>
\nthis settled, the people of Sivi were pacified and they dispersed to<\/span>
\nreturn to their homes.<\/span>
\nThe people of Sivi were set on punishing Vessantara because they<\/span>
\nmisunderstood that the auspicious elephant was the property of the<\/span>
\nkingdom and no one would have the right to give it away without<\/span>
\nthe consent of the people. But in truth, the elephant was a personal<\/span>
\npossession that belonged to Vessantara. It was due to his inherent<\/span>
\nvirtue and merit that caused the celestial female elephant to fly into<\/span>
\nthe city and give her white elephant calf to him as a birthday gift.<\/span>
\nIn this regard, it was Vessantara\u2019s right to be able to give away his<\/span>
\nelephant to anyone he pleased.<\/span>
\nAfter the citizens had been dispersed, King Sanjaya sent an<\/span>
\nofficial to inform his son of the bad news and tell him that he had to<\/span>
\nleave the kingdom by sunrise. Vessantara was dumbfounded by the<\/span>
\nreaction of the people. Then he rationalized, \u201cI was willing to give<\/span>
\naway my own body and my life for the sake of charity, let alone my<\/span>
\nmaterial wealth. The people of Sivi can expel me from my kingdom<\/span>
\nor kill me, but they can never stop me from giving alms. I shall<\/span>
\nfeel no attachment to anything. If the people of Sivi wish for me<\/span>
\nto leave, I will do so without harboring any resentment or ill-will<\/span>
\nagainst anyone.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe asked the official, \u201cWhere do they want me to go?\u201d To which<\/span>
\nthe official replied, \u201cThey agreed that Your Majesty should go to<\/span>
\nMount Vamka. It was said that, since ancient times, any king who<\/span>
\nleft a householder life, or was expelled from his kingdom, or wished<\/span>
\nto assume a holy life of an ascetic, would go to Mount Vamka to<\/span>
\npractice asceticism.\u201d<\/span>
\nVessantara liked the idea of giving up worldly possessions and<\/span>
\nbecoming an ascetic. He said to the official, \u201cI will leave Sivi<\/span>
\nand follow the path of kings who left the householder\u2019s life to pursue<\/span>
\nspiritual attainments by becoming ascetics. But before I leave<\/span>
\nI wish to make a great alms-giving tomorrow and will leave the<\/span>
\nfollowing morning.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter the official was gone, Vessantara summoned his chief minister<\/span>
\nand said to him, \u201cTomorrow I shall give great alms which will<\/span>
\nconsist of seven different types of alms and each type consists of seven<\/span>
\nhundred in number. Prepare for me seven hundred elephants, seven<\/span>
\nhundred horses, seven hundred carriages, seven hundred milk cows,<\/span>
\nseven hundred male slaves, and seven hundred female slaves, and<\/span>
\nprovide every kind of food and drink, everything which is fit to give.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Then he departed to see Queen Maddi at her quarters. He explained<\/span>
\nto Maddi what had happened and why the citizens of Sivi wanted<\/span>
\nhim banished from the kingdom. He told her to remain in Sivi<\/span>
\nwith their two children, to perform charity regularly, and to be free<\/span>
\nto remarry should a worthy person come along who could care for<\/span>
\nher. Maddi\u2019s heart was broken to see her husband leave. She pleaded<\/span>
\nfor her and their two children to come with him but Vessantara<\/span>
\ndiscouraged her. He told her how life in the forest would be too<\/span>
\ndangerous and uncomfortable for her and their two young children.<\/span>
\nWith a trembling voice, Maddi said to her husband, \u201cYou should<\/span>
\nnot talk as if I am a woman without lineage and proper upbringing.<\/span>
\nI must not let you go alone. I will follow you everywhere<\/span>
\nto serve you until I die. A virtuous wife should never think of<\/span>
\nabandoning her husband in times of trouble. If I have to choose<\/span>
\nbetween dying alongside you and living without you, I will choose<\/span>
\ndeath. What will be the point for my living if it is without you?\u201d<\/span>
\nMaddi told her husband how their lives together in the forest<\/span>
\nwould be so blissful for them, how it would be so joyous to be<\/span>
\nwith their two lovely children, to see them play, to hear their<\/span>
\nlaughter, and to be close to them, and enjoy the beauty of nature.<\/span>
\nAfter much pleading and insistence from Maddi, Vessantara finally<\/span>
\ngave in. King Sanyaja and Queen Phusati, however, did not like the<\/span>
\nidea of Maddi and the children living in the forest. King Sanjaya<\/span>
\ntried to scare her with all the frightful things that could happen<\/span>
\nin the forest, but Maddi told him that there was nothing more<\/span>
\nmiserable than not being with her husband.<\/span><\/p>\n

Queen Phusati also\u00a0tried very hard to dissuade her from going, but to no avail. Maddi<\/span>
\nhad made up her mind to be with her husband. It was then that<\/span>
\nboth King Sanjaya and Queen Phusati found out the virtue of a<\/span>
\ntruly good wife in Maddi and her loyalty to her husband. They<\/span>
\nwere deeply touched by the noble quality of their daughter-in-law.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gift of the Seven Hundreds<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The next morning, everything that Vessantara asked of his chief<\/span>
\nminister to prepare for the great alms offering was carried out<\/span>
\nperfectly. Included in the great almsgiving were seven hundred<\/span>
\nelaborately decorated elephants, seven hundred choice steeds, seven<\/span>
\nhundred elaborately decorated carriages, seven hundred milk cows,<\/span>
\nseven hundred male slaves, and seven hundred female slaves. A large<\/span>
\namount of food and drink were prepared. People of every social<\/span>
\nclass, from the rich to the poor, from Brahmins to sudras,28 from<\/span>
\nsoldiers to merchants, all came to receive his gifts. The entire city<\/span>
\nof Jetuttara was in a jubilant mood. This offering became known as<\/span>
\nGift of the Seven Hundreds.<\/span>
\nThat day, Vessantara spent sunrise to sunset giving out alms.<\/span>
\nThroughout the entire day his heart was filled with joy. After the<\/span>
\ngreat almsgiving was completed, he put his palms together and raised<\/span>
\nthem to touch his forehead and made a deliberate wish: \u201cMay this<\/span>
\ngreat almsgiving make it possible for me to become enlightened as a<\/span>
\nBuddha some time in the future.\u201d At the end of his resolution, the<\/span>
\nearth trembled as if to acknowledge this wish.<\/span>
\nThe next morning, the officials brought for them a beautiful carriage<\/span>
\ndrawn by four thoroughbred horses. Vessantara, Maddi, and<\/span>
\nthe two children paid their respects to King Sanjaya and Queen<\/span>
\nPhusati and bade them farewell. They said goodbye to all the attendants<\/span>
\nwho came to send them off. Then they took their seats in<\/span>
\nthe carriage and departed.<\/span>
\nVessantara drove the carriage slowly as he and Maddi looked at the<\/span>
\ncity of Jetuttara for the last time. As they approached the city gate,<\/span><\/p>\n

Maddi noticed four Brahmins bickering among themselves and<\/span>
\nrunning behind trying to catch up with them. She told her husband<\/span>
\nand he stopped to wait for them. When the Brahmins finally caught<\/span>
\nup, they told Vessantara that they came too late for the Gift of the<\/span>
\nSeven Hundreds and asked if Vessantara had anything to give them.<\/span>
\nVessantara told them the only things he had left were the four<\/span>
\nhorses and the carriage. The Brahmins then asked for his horses<\/span>
\nand he gave them willingly \u2013 one horse for each Brahmin.<\/span>
\nAfter the horses were disposed of, the yoke of the chariot remained<\/span>
\nsuspended in the air, but as soon as the Brahmins were gone, four<\/span>
\ndeities in the guise of red deer came and caught it and drew it in<\/span>
\nplace of the horses. The Bodhisatta knew them to be deities and<\/span>
\nhe was delighted. He said to his wife, \u201cSee, Maddi, what a wondrous<\/span>
\nthing; these clever horses in the shape of red deer drawing<\/span>
\nour carriage!\u201d Maddi was astounded at what she saw. She perceived<\/span>
\nthat it was due to the transcendental virtue that her husband had<\/span>
\ncultivated over many lifetimes that attracted the celestial beings to<\/span>
\nlook after them. She became more and more cognizant of the fact<\/span>
\nthat merit power was something to be reckoned with and that the<\/span>
\nVirtue of Charity that her husband was cultivating was something<\/span>
\nquite worthwhile and she was glad to be a part of it.<\/span>
\nThey continued their journey in the carriage drawn by the four<\/span>
\nstags. But after a short way, another Brahmin approached them<\/span>
\nand asked for the carriage. Vessantara dismounted his wife and<\/span>
\nchildren and gave the Brahmin the carriage. He did this with a<\/span>
\nhappy heart and Maddi supported his action for she knew charity<\/span>
\nwas his life mission.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Nobles of Ceta<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After he gave the carriage away the four stags disappeared and they<\/span>
\ncontinued their journey on foot, carrying the two children on their<\/span>
\nhips \u2013 the boy on his father and the girl on her mother. By nightfall,<\/span>
\nthey came upon the land of Ceta, a kingdom ruled by sixty thousand<\/span>
\nnobles. The people of Ceta took notice of them and informed<\/span>
\nthe nobles of their arrival.<\/span>
\nAll sixty thousand nobles of Ceta had heard of King Vessantara\u2019s<\/span>
\nreputation as a compassionate and generous king. When the news<\/span>
\nof his arrival into their city was heard, they quickly went to pay him<\/span>
\nrespect. When they saw the scruffy condition of the royal family<\/span>
\nthey were taken aback and asked what had happened to them. Vessantara<\/span>
\ntold them the whole story, which brought tears to many of<\/span>
\nthem. Some of them expressed their disapproval, \u201cHow can anyone<\/span>
\nfind fault in such a benevolent act? This is so unjust. We must help<\/span>
\nKing Vessantara. We will go to Jetuttara and speak to King Sanjaya<\/span>
\nand ask him to withdraw his decree and reinstate Vessantara as their<\/span>
\nking. If he refuses, we will take action.\u201d<\/span>
\nVessantara thanked them for their good intentions but told them<\/span>
\nthat the king did not have power over this matter and that it would<\/span>
\ncause conflict between the two kingdoms should they pursue this<\/span>
\naction, in which case it would make him very unhappy. The nobles<\/span>
\nthen asked him to stay in their city and be their king. They said, \u201cIt<\/span>
\nwill be a blessing to have a righteous king like you to be our king.<\/span>
\nWe will be happy to serve you, for we know you will bring greatness<\/span>
\nto our land.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta expressed his thanks and gratitude to the nobles for<\/span>
\ntheir friendship and earnestness but explained to them that it would<\/span>
\nnot be wise for him to accept their offer as it might result in conflict<\/span>
\nbetween the two kingdoms.<\/span>
\nThe nobles of Ceta expressed their views on peace and harmony as<\/span>
\nfollows: \u201cVirtue of people should be based on gratitude. Gratitude<\/span>
\nis the mark of decency. The people of Ceta have always upheld this<\/span>
\nvirtue and it has made our land harmonious and peaceful. The<\/span>
\npeople of Sivi, on the other hand, lack this virtue. They acted badly<\/span>
\nagainst their king without consideration for all the goodness he had<\/span>
\ndone for them. They banished their king from their land in spite<\/span>
\nof his kindness to them. The lack of gratitude is the characteristic<\/span>
\nof fools.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta praised the nobles for their virtue, but explained<\/span>
\nto them that the people of Sivi are not to be blamed; it was due<\/span>
\nto some misunderstanding that they had acted harshly and that it<\/span>
\nwas his own fault for failing to make his people appreciate the virtue<\/span>
\nof charity.<\/span>
\nVessantara and his family spent that night in a shelter at the outskirts<\/span>
\nof Matula City. The nobles took good care of them and<\/span>
\naccompanied them on their journey the next day. When they<\/span>
\nreached the forest that had a pathway leading to Mount Vamka,<\/span>
\nthey paid their final respects to the Bodhisatta and returned to<\/span>
\ntheir city. From there, a forester was assigned to guide them<\/span>
\nand the Bodhisatta continued on with his family. The forester<\/span>
\nled them through several mountains and rivers. Moving onwards,<\/span>
\nthey passed along the banks of Lake Mucalinda to its<\/span>
\nnortheastern corner and came upon a narrow footpath leading<\/span>
\nto the foothills of Mount Vamka, at which point the forester<\/span>
\nleft them on their own. From this footpath, they entered into<\/span>
\nthe thick forest, and following the course of the stream inside<\/span>
\nthe forest they came to a magnificent lotus pond at the Himavat<\/span>
\nregion.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Hermitage<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At this moment, Sakka, king of the devas, took notice of what had<\/span>
\nhappened. \u201cThe Great Being,\u201d he thought, \u201chas entered Himavat<\/span>
\nand he must have a place to dwell in.\u201d So he gave orders to Vissakamma,<\/span>
\nhis architect, to go and build a hermitage on a pleasant<\/span>
\nspot on Mount Vamka. Vissakamma went and made a hermitage<\/span>
\nwith separate huts and a covered walkway and planted rows of flowering<\/span>
\ntrees and a banana grove. Then he proceeded to create the<\/span>
\nnecessary items for the use of ascetics and engraved at the front of<\/span>
\nthe hermitage these words: \u201cWhoever wishes to take up a holy life<\/span>
\nin this place, feel free to use these articles.\u201d Then he drove away all<\/span>
\nnon-humans and unfriendly creatures from the area and departed.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta arrived at the walkway and saw the hermitage. He<\/span>
\nleft Maddi and the two children at the entrance to the hermitage<\/span>
\nand went in. When he saw the inscription, he instinctively knew<\/span>
\nthat Sakka had provided the hermitage for him and his family.<\/span>
\nHe opened the door and entered and put down his bow and sword.<\/span>
\nHe found four sets of ascetic\u2019s robes made of tiger skins neatly folded<\/span>
\nnearby, next to the robes laid a wooden staff and some useful items.<\/span>
\nHe knew that these were provided by Sakka who was looking after<\/span>
\nhim. He removed his royal garments and put on the ascetic garb of<\/span>
\nhermit and took the vows of an ascetic. He took up the staff, went to<\/span>
\nthe walkway and paced up and down slowly in the manner of walking<\/span>
\nmeditation. Then he approached his wife and the two children<\/span>
\nwith the quietude of a Pacceka Buddha.29 Maddi could feel the aura<\/span>
\nof peacefulness emanating from the Bodhisatta. She fell at his feet<\/span>
\nin tears. Then she entered the hermitage with him and went to her<\/span>
\nown hut to put on the garb of an ascetic. After this, they took care\u00a0of their children and let them change into the garbs of hermits as<\/span>
\nwell. Thus the four royals became hermits and dwelt in the recesses<\/span>
\nof Mount Vamka.<\/span>
\nLife was good for them in the forest of Himavat. By the power of the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta\u2019s loving-kindness, even the wild animals around the area<\/span>
\nhad compassion toward one another. Maddi asked her husband to<\/span>
\nallow her the task of looking for food in the forest. They also vowed<\/span>
\nto observe celibacy and they slept separately in the different huts.<\/span>
\nEvery day at dawn, Maddi would rise to take care of the children,<\/span>
\nsweep the hermitage, and with the basket and spade in hand, went<\/span>
\nout into the forest to collect wild fruits and roots. At the evening<\/span>
\nshe would return with her basket filled with edible foods. Then she<\/span>
\nwould wash the children and the four of them would sit at the door<\/span>
\nof the hut and eat their fruits and roots. Then Maddi would take<\/span>
\nher two children and retire to her own hut. In this way, they lived<\/span>
\nhappily for seven months.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Ugliest Man in the World<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Back at the kingdom of Kalinga, after the eight Brahmins took Paccaya,<\/span>
\nthe auspicious elephant, to Kalinga, the drought was broken.<\/span>
\nAs soon as the elephant stepped inside their kingdom, dark clouds<\/span>
\nformed and rain poured from the sky to cover the entire land of<\/span>
\nKalinga. Lightning and thunder filled the skies. The people of<\/span>
\nKalinga shouted in ecstasy when they saw the rain and they ran out<\/span>
\nin it getting wet, singing and dancing all the while. Kalinga, the land<\/span>
\nthat once forgot to smile was now filled with laughter as the land<\/span>
\nbecame fertile once more and prosperity returned.<\/span>
\nBut within this renewed prosperity a problem was brewing for the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta\u2026.<\/span>
\nAt the border of Kalinga lay a village called Dunnavittha. In this<\/span>
\nvillage lived an old and ugly Brahmin by the name of Jujaka. Jujaka<\/span>
\nwas extremely ugly, for he was short, skinny, and deformed. His eyes<\/span>
\nwere mean and his cheeks hollow; his skin was wrinkled, withered<\/span>
\nand full of moles; his back was curved and his stomach protruded.<\/span>
\nHe had only two teeth left in his mouth, and his breath was so<\/span>
\nbad that it smelled like a rotting corpse. He was indeed a sight<\/span>
\npainful to look at. Everyone who saw him was repelled by his<\/span>
\nugliness. People looked down upon him, and because no one wanted<\/span>
\nto have anything to do with him, Jujaka found himself in poverty<\/span>
\nand had to beg for a living.<\/span>
\nWhen someone is born ugly or deformed, it is usually due to bad<\/span>
\nKamma – something unwholesome that a person has done in his<\/span>
\nor her past life, such as being cruel to animals, having a bad<\/span>
\ntemper, or making fun of another person\u2019s appearance.<\/span><\/p>\n

But Jujaka was not entirely unlucky. He had a family of Brahmins<\/span>
\nas old friends. These Brahmins were the only friends Jujaka had in<\/span>
\nthe entire world. For many years, Jujaka had never burdened his<\/span>
\nfriends with anything or asked for their help. It was not until three<\/span>
\nyears earlier that Jujaka had come to his only friends to ask them for<\/span>
\na favor. Jujaka was a beggar in Kalinga and life was hard for him.<\/span>
\nHe decided to leave Kalinga to seek a better life in other towns. He<\/span>
\nhad saved up a good sum of money from his lifetime of begging.<\/span>
\nHe felt it was too dangerous for him to take this money with him<\/span>
\nand thought that it would be safe to leave his money with his<\/span>
\nBrahmin friends for safekeeping until he returned. Thinking this,<\/span>
\nhe went to see the Brahmin couple.<\/span>
\nUpon seeing the couple, he brought out an old pouch and placed it<\/span>
\nin front of them. He slowly opened it and said, \u201cMy old friends, in<\/span>
\nhere there are one hundred pieces of money. It is what I have been<\/span>
\nable to save since I started out as a beggar. I don\u2019t dare keep the<\/span>
\nmoney with me, since I must go from place to place. It will be better<\/span>
\nif I ask you to safeguard it for me, since you are my only friends. Do<\/span>
\ntake good care of it.\u201d Jujaka\u2019s voice invoked pity as he knelt down<\/span>
\nwith a sad expression in his face.<\/span>
\nThe couple looked at each other and they pondered, \u201cHe is already<\/span>
\nquite old. If we keep the money for him and he dies before he asks<\/span>
\nfor it back, this money will become ours.\u201d And so thinking, they<\/span>
\nsaid to him, \u201cWe may not be rich in material, Jujaka, but we are<\/span>
\nrich in spirit. So for the sake of our long friendship, we will keep the<\/span>
\nmoney for you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jujaka looked at them dubiously and said to them, \u201cYou must promise<\/span>
\nme that you will take good care of my money and will gladly give<\/span>
\nit back to me when I ask for it later on.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin couple pretended not to care and said, \u201cNow besides<\/span>
\nthe two of us, who else will help you? If you don\u2019t trust us, then go<\/span>
\nand find someone else.\u201d<\/span>
\nAfter a few more exchanges of words, Jujaka left the money with his<\/span>
\nfriends and proceeded on his journey to another town.<\/span>
\nThe couple went inside their hut with Jujaka\u2019s money bag. They<\/span>
\nopened the bag and gawked at the coins closely. There were smiles<\/span>
\non their faces as the inherent greed which dwelled deep in human<\/span>
\nnature reared its ugly head and tempted the couple into stealing<\/span>
\nthe money. Fortunately, their conscience reminded them that the<\/span>
\nmoney did not belong to them but had been given to them for<\/span>
\nsafekeeping. So the couple put the coins back into the bag and put<\/span>
\nit away in a safe place. Days, months, and a year had gone by, but<\/span>
\nJujaka never showed his face, neither did he send any news to the<\/span>
\ncouple. The couple continued to keep Jujaka\u2019s money safe as they<\/span>
\ncounted the passing days and thought that it would be nice indeed<\/span>
\nif Jujaka never came back for the money.<\/span>
\nTwo years had passed and the couple still had not heard from Jujaka.<\/span>
\nBy then they felt certain that Jujaka must have died. At the time, the<\/span>
\nprolonged drought in Kalinga also had a bad effect on the couple.<\/span>
\nIt was tough for them to make a living because they could not grow<\/span>
\nanything. They finally took out Jujaka\u2019s money to spend it so they<\/span><\/p>\n

could survive. Jujaka\u2019s money lasted them until the drought ended.<\/span>
\nLife returned to normal and the couple forgot all about what had<\/span>
\ntaken place.<\/span>
\nOn one fateful morning seven months later, while the Brahmin<\/span>
\ncouple was still in bed, they heard the hoarse voice of an old man<\/span>
\noutside their hut. It was the voice that they dreaded to hear.<\/span>
\n\u201cIs that Jujaka\u2019s voice?\u201d The husband asked, hoping that he had<\/span>
\nheard wrong. He was hoping that it was the voice of Jujaka\u2019s ghost<\/span>
\ncoming around to visit. \u201cI\u2019m not sure either,\u201d said the wife, \u201cit does<\/span>
\nsound like him. Why don\u2019t you go and find out?\u201d<\/span>
\nBoth the husband and wife dreaded to go to the door for fear that<\/span>
\nit indeed was Jujaka who was still alive. Finally, the wife pushed the<\/span>
\nhusband to the door and he opened it. Standing in front of him was<\/span>
\nthe ugly sight of a hunched-back, wrinkled old man gazing at him.<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin\u2019s heart nearly stopped beating. He felt paralyzed as if<\/span>
\nhe was facing a denizen from hell. He managed to utter out a few<\/span>
\nhusky words, \u201cSo you are still alive.\u201d<\/span>
\nJujaka did not care to say a word of greeting. He went straight to<\/span>
\nthe point, \u201cMy friend, I\u2019m here for my money. I hope all the money<\/span>
\nis here.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin did not know what to do, but said instinctively, \u201cWait<\/span>
\nhere for just a minute, I\u2019ll go get the money.\u201d Then he hurried back<\/span>
\nto his wife and said frantically, \u201cWhat a catastrophe! What do we do<\/span>
\nnow? Jujaka is here for his money. He is sure to make a real scene and<\/span><\/p>\n

everyone will know about this. How can I bear the humiliation?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cForget the humiliation,\u201d his wife retorted, \u201cWe should be thinking<\/span>
\nabout how to repay him and try to come up with a way out.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cOh dear, Jujaka is back for his money.\u201d The wife thought for a<\/span>
\nminute and said to her husband, \u201cI\u2019ve got the answer. The one person<\/span>
\nthat can help us out is our daughter Amittata.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin asked, \u201cOur daughter Amittata? How can she help us?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe wife said to her husband, \u201cWe could give Amittata to Jujaka<\/span>
\nas payment for our debt.\u201d Without a second thought, the Brahmin<\/span>
\nwent along with her idea and asked her to go fetch Amittata.<\/span>
\nIt was unfortunate for Amittata, for her parents\u2019 sense of morality<\/span>
\nwas marred by their fear for Jujaka and their lack of responsibility.<\/span>
\nThe selfish parents decided to unload their responsibility onto their<\/span>
\ninnocent daughter.<\/span>
\nThe Brahmin returned to face Jujaka. His legs were still shaking as<\/span>
\nhe assumed a sad expression. \u201cForgive us, dear man. We have not<\/span>
\nheard from you for such a long time that we thought something bad<\/span>
\nhad happened to you. Also in these past two years, Kalinga had gone<\/span>
\nthrough a severe drought. We could not plant anything. We were in<\/span>
\nsuch dire shape that we had to use your money in order to survive.\u201d<\/span>
\nJujaka\u2019s face turned white when he heard this. He almost had a heart<\/span>
\nattack. Then he became uncontrollably enraged and shrieked at the\u00a0terrified Brahmin, \u201cHow dare you think that I was dead! You are the<\/span>
\none who is now facing death. I trekked all the way here two years<\/span>
\nago thinking that for the sake of our long friendship you could be<\/span>
\ntrusted and depended upon. But it turned out that you are nothing<\/span>
\nbut a thief. How could you do this to me? It was my lifelong savings!<\/span>
\nI have wandered all over begging for a living so that I can add a little<\/span>
\nmore to my savings and have enough for my old age. You and your<\/span>
\nwife are a bad lot. I want my money back right now!\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cNow, now, calm down, dear man. We admit that we have been<\/span>
\nwrong, but we will make things right for you. We cannot repay you<\/span>
\nin coins but we will pay you in another way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Old Man and a Young Wife<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

At that moment, the Brahmin\u2019s wife pulled her daughter by the arm<\/span>
\nout for Jujaka to look at. \u201cNow, old friend, this is our daughter. Her<\/span>
\nname is Amittata.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe woman then turned toward her daughter and said, \u201cAmittata,<\/span>
\ntoday Mr. Jujaka has graciously come to visit us. He is not only a<\/span>
\nfriend but our family is very much indebted to him. Amittata, do<\/span>
\npay respect to Mr. Jujaka.\u201d<\/span>
\nAmittata paid her respect to Jujaka. She felt somewhat confused and<\/span>
\nsaid to her mother, \u201cMother, you told me to come out here because<\/span>
\nyou wanted me to help with something. Does it have anything to<\/span>
\ndo with Mr. Jujaka?\u201d<\/span>
\nAs soon as Jujaka laid eyes on Amittata, he instantly fell under her<\/span>
\nspell. She was a dainty-looking girl with a nice complexion. She<\/span>
\nwas very attractive and it was easy for anyone to fall in love with<\/span>
\nher. Jujaka was melted away by her beauty. He could not keep<\/span>
\nhis eyes off her. He had never been married before because no<\/span>
\nwoman would come near him. They were all repelled by his<\/span>
\nugliness. Therefore, he had never dreamt that he would ever have<\/span>
\na wife. He spoke up without waiting for the Brahmin couple to<\/span>
\nspeak first, \u201cAre you giving me your daughter as repayment for<\/span>
\nmy money?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cIndeed, dear Jujaka,\u201d the Brahmin woman answered. She<\/span>
\nturned toward her daughter and said, \u201cAmittata dear, Mr. Jujaka<\/span>
\nhere has been very good to our family. The money which he<\/span>
\ngave us made it possible for us to survive the famine. We have<\/span>
\nnothing of value to repay him with. All we have is you. You<\/span>
\nalone can help us out this time. So go with Mr. Jujaka and serve<\/span>
\nhim well. Repay him the kindness which he has shown us.\u201d<\/span>
\nAmittata listened to her mother and felt sorry for her parents. She<\/span>
\nwas indeed a good person and a very good child to her parents.<\/span>
\nShe has a deep sense of gratitude toward her parents and felt it was<\/span>
\nher filial duty to help them. Although she found herself being given<\/span>
\naway as wife to an ugly old man whom she had just met for the<\/span>
\nfirst time, she had the following words to say to her parents, \u201cIf it<\/span>
\nis your wish and if it can help, then I will willingly go and live with<\/span>
\nMr. Jujaka.\u201d<\/span>
\nJujaka could not have been happier. His desire for Amittata was<\/span>
\nclearly apparent on his face. He was not about to let this golden<\/span>
\nopportunity slip away, for fear that the parents might change<\/span>
\ntheir minds; so he said, \u201cIt is agreed. I will take Amittata with me<\/span>
\nand consider the debt all paid in full.\u201d And he hurried away<\/span>
\nwith Amittata.<\/span>
\nAmittata\u2019s youth and beauty caused Jujaka\u2019s heart, which had long<\/span>
\nlaid dormant, to suddenly become active. He was in ecstasy over<\/span>
\nhis young wife and was jubilant all the way back to his home. After<\/span>
\nsome time, they arrived at his house in the town of Dunnavittha<\/span>
\nwhich had been left empty for a long time. He could not wait to<\/span>
\nshow his wife off to the villagers who used to look down upon<\/span>
\nhim. Jujaka got his wish because the villagers came out to admire<\/span>
\nAmittata\u2019s beauty and wondered at old Jujaka\u2019s luck.<\/span>
\nHaving just acquired a young bride, Jujaka hurried to put his shabby<\/span>
\nhouse in order. He wanted to make sure that his new bride did not<\/span>
\nmove in with some younger man. Amittata could only resign to her<\/span>
\nfate by accepting her lot in life. She was so obedient to her parents<\/span>
\nthat she did not complain about having to become an old, ugly<\/span>
\nman\u2019s wife. When she saw Jujaka cleaning she said, \u201cCan I help\u00a0with anything, Mr. Jujaka?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cThere\u2019s no need to call me Mr. Jujaka, it sounds much too formal,\u201d<\/span>
\nsaid Jujaka, \u201cIt\u2019s better to just call me Jujaka. I don\u2019t want you to<\/span>
\nhave to do anything at all, so just sit here and watch me work.\u201d<\/span>
\nJujaka was so in love with his bride that he wanted to spoil her.<\/span>
\n\u201cI don\u2019t want the villagers to say that I\u2019m lazy. Please let me take care<\/span>
\nof the housework the way a good wife should,\u201d said Amittata as she<\/span>
\ngot up to sweep the floor.<\/span>
\nFrom then on, Amittata\u2019s conduct was that of a good wife. She got<\/span>
\nup early to prepare breakfast for her husband before she went down<\/span>
\nto the stream to do her laundry. She took good care of the old house<\/span>
\nand planted flowering plants all around it. She also carried out such<\/span>
\nheavy work as chopping wood, pounding rough rice, and fetching<\/span>
\nwater. She did everything there was to do and she looked after her<\/span>
\nold husband so well that he regained his youthful energy. She cared<\/span>
\nfor Jujaka the way she used to care for her father before she left<\/span>
\nhome. She was not in the least repelled by her old, ugly husband.<\/span>
\nShe could only blame her own fate. Despite the huge age difference<\/span>
\nbetween the two, they managed to live together happily.<\/span>
\nThe villagers could not help but observe them. Soon, Amittata<\/span>
\nbecame the villagers\u2019 favorite subject of conversation. The young<\/span>
\nmen in the village who were jealous of Jujaka ever since he brought<\/span>
\nAmittata back with him were always talking among themselves<\/span>
\nabout Amittata\u2019s virtues and about what a good wife she was. They<\/span>
\ncompared Amittata\u2019s virtues to those of their own wives and they<\/span>
\ncomplained, \u201cWhy, our wives at home are so different. My wife<\/span>
\nnever tends to me or takes care of the house the way Amittata does.<\/span>
\nWe need to tell our wives to start using Amittata for an example and<\/span>
\nbehave like a good housewife.\u201d<\/span>
\nAnd so, they reproached their own wives and talked down at them<\/span>
\nin the following tone: \u201cLook at that Jujaka\u2019s wife, Amittata. She is<\/span>
\nhard-working and she takes good care of her husband, unlike you.<\/span>
\nYou are lazy and irresponsible. You don\u2019t keep the house tidy. You<\/span>
\ndon\u2019t serve me dinner when I come home from work but leave me<\/span>
\nto fend for myself. That old Jujaka never has to lift a finger. Amittata<\/span>
\ndoes everything for him; she even chops wood and beats the grains.<\/span>
\nYou must look up to Amittata and follow her good example. Don\u2019t<\/span>
\nbe an embarrassment to me!\u201d<\/span>
\nThe women were upset at their husbands for comparing them to<\/span>
\nAmittata. And when some of them argued back, they were beaten<\/span>
\nby their husbands. They showed their bruises to one another and<\/span>
\nblamed it on Amittata. They vowed to teach\u00a0Amittata a lesson and<\/span>
\nto drive her away from their village.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why Did You Marry an Old, Ugly Husband?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One morning when Amittata went to the stream to fetch water as<\/span>
\nshe usually did, she greeted the women who gathered there with<\/span>
\nher usual friendly smile. The women gave her a hateful stare, surrounded<\/span>
\nher, and began their verbal attacks:<\/span>
\n\u201cHey Amittata, you are pretty enough, so why on earth did you<\/span>
\nagree to live with a man old enough to be your father?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cWhat is the matter with you? There are plenty of young men<\/span>
\naround. Why did you decide to choose an old, ugly man like Jujaka?<\/span>
\n\u201cYour parents must have really hated you to give you away to a<\/span>
\ndecrepit, sorry old man.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cYou must have reviled a virtuous monk in your past life and now<\/span>
\nyou are paying for it.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cYou are bad luck! Even your parents wouldn\u2019t let you stay with<\/span>
\nthem. You bring bad luck to us. You should take your bad luck with<\/span>
\nyou and leave our village.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe women laughed raucously at Amittata and made fun of her.<\/span>
\nTheir wicked laughter pierced her heart like a thousand sharp<\/span>
\nneedles. It hurt her so deeply that she ran weeping all the way home.<\/span>
\nJujaka was distressed to see his young wife sobbing so badly. The<\/span>
\nsight of his beautiful wife stained with tears pained him. He asked<\/span>
\nher what had made her so upset and she told him: \u201cThe women<\/span>
\nmocked me and laughed at me for marrying an ugly, old man. They<\/span>
\nreviled me and wanted to chase me out of town. From now on,<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u00a0will never go to the landing to fetch water or wash your clothes<\/span>
\nanymore.\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cPoor Amittata, don\u2019t pay any attention to these women. They have<\/span>
\nfoul mouths. From now on you need not go fetch the water anymore;<\/span>
\nI will do it for you.\u201d Jujaka consoled her.<\/span>
\n\u201cThis will not do. I was not brought up to have my husband do<\/span>
\nthe housework. You need to find me a servant or buy me a slave to<\/span>
\ndo this kind of work, or I will no longer stay with you,\u201d Amittata<\/span>
\ndemanded.<\/span>
\nJujaka said, \u201cHow can I hire a servant or buy a slave? I have no<\/span>
\nmoney, no corn, no skill.\u201d<\/span>
\nAmittata then said, \u201cListen up, my husband. I heard that there lives<\/span>
\na king named Vessantara in the kingdom of Sivi. He is kind and<\/span>
\ncompassionate and will not turn anyone down who comes to him<\/span>
\nfor help. He gives away everything that he possesses. He has given<\/span>
\nup all his wealth except his two young children. Go to him and ask<\/span>
\nhim to give us his children to be our slaves. He will not refuse to give<\/span>
\nyou what you ask.\u201d<\/span>
\nAt first, Jujaka refused to do so, telling his wife that he was too old<\/span>
\nand too weak to travel such a long distance, but Amittata insisted.<\/span>
\nShe threatened to leave Jujaka if he failed to do so. Fearing the loss<\/span>
\nof his beautiful, young wife, Jujaka finally agreed. He donned the<\/span>
\ngarb of a Brahmin ascetic, took a walking cane, put his bag of provisions<\/span>
\nover his shoulder, then bade his wife goodbye.<\/span><\/p>\n

After several days of traveling, Jujaka finally arrived at the city of<\/span>
\nJetuttara. He asked the towns people where to find Vessantara. The<\/span>
\npeople told him Vessantara no longer lived in Jetuttara but had been<\/span>
\nexiled to Mount Vamka with his wife and two children. Noticing<\/span>
\nthe destitute appearance of the impoverished Brahmin, the town\u2019s<\/span>
\npeople questioned Jujaka about his intentions for wanting to see the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta. When they found out that Jujaka was there to exploit<\/span>
\nthe Bodhisatta\u2019s generosity, they were angry at him and scolded him<\/span>
\nwith these words: \u201cIt was mendicants like you that had caused our<\/span>
\ngood king to be banished.\u201d Then they grabbed some stones and<\/span>
\nwhatever they could find to hurl at him. Jujaka ran for his life without<\/span>
\nlooking back. In spite of his advanced age, Jujaka was an expert<\/span>
\nwhen it came to running for his life. He had a lot of practice as a<\/span>
\nbeggar, who often found himself having to flee from snarling dogs<\/span>
\nand unfriendly folks.<\/span>
\nUnbeknownst to him, as he kept running, he was headed toward the<\/span>
\ndirection of Mount Vamka. Soon, he found himself lost in the forest<\/span>
\nand tried frantically to find his way out. But the more he tried, the<\/span>
\ndeeper he went inside the forest. He started to feel sorry for himself,<\/span>
\nmoaning and groaning for his misfortune, when he spotted a pack<\/span>
\nof ferocious dogs ahead of him. The dogs barked at him fiercely and<\/span>
\nraced toward him as if to tear his flesh into pieces. Their ferocious<\/span>
\nbarking sent chills down his spine. He ran for his life and managed<\/span>
\nto climb up a tree and sat on one of its limbs, shaking with fright.<\/span>
\nThen he noticed these were not wild dogs but domestic ones and<\/span>
\nthought to himself, \u201cThese dogs must have an owner. The owner<\/span>
\nmust not be too far away. I will call for him.\u201d And he shouted loudly<\/span>
\nto call for attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

At that moment, a forester appeared. He had been assigned by the<\/span>
\nnobles of Ceta to safeguard Vessantara from intruders who came to<\/span>
\nbeg from him. When he saw Jujaka he questioned his purpose for<\/span>
\nbeing there. Jujaka lied to him and told him that he had been sent<\/span>
\nby Vessantara\u2019s parents to bring the prince home, adding that the<\/span>
\npeople of Sivi had forgiven Vessantara and wanted him to return<\/span>
\nto resume the throne. The gullible forester fell for Jujaka\u2019s lie. He<\/span>
\ntold his dogs to back away, gave Jujaka food and drink, and sent<\/span>
\nhim on his way. Then he pointed Jujaka towards the direction of<\/span>
\nVessantara\u2019s hermitage and told him that on the way there he would<\/span>
\nrun into an old yogi named Accata. This yogi would give him the<\/span>
\nrest of the directions.<\/span>
\nJujaka left the forester and by the late afternoon of the same day he<\/span>
\narrived at the yogi\u2019s dwelling. Jujaka\u2019s dubious demeanor made the<\/span>
\nyogi feel suspicious, but, again, the cunning Brahmin lied his way<\/span>
\nout of trouble. The yogi then invited Jujaka to spend the night at his<\/span>
\nhermitage as it was getting too late to travel. Jujaka spent the night<\/span>
\nthere and befriended the yogi. He found out from the yogi that<\/span>
\nVessantara lived not far from there and that Maddi went out to<\/span>
\nthe forest each morning to find food and would not return until<\/span>
\nlate in the afternoon. He figured the best time to approach Vessantara<\/span>
\nwould be when Maddi was away so that she would not pose<\/span>
\na problem for him. He also found out the direct route to Vessantara\u2019s<\/span>
\nhermitage as well as an alternate route that bypassed the yogi and<\/span>
\nthe forester, which he thought he would use on the way back to<\/span>
\navoid being seen with the two children. The next morning Jujaka<\/span>
\nleft the yogi and headed toward Vessantara\u2019s hermitage.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Maddi\u2019s Nightmare<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

That day, Maddi felt a strange and uncomfortable anxiety all day.<\/span>
\nShe had a premonition that something bad was going to happen<\/span>
\nto her family. That evening she held her two children close to her<\/span>
\nheart and sang them to sleep. As for herself, she could hardly close<\/span>
\nher eyes and fall asleep. When she finally fell asleep near dawn, she<\/span>
\nwas haunted by a gruesome dream. In her dream, she saw a fiercelooking,<\/span>
\ndark-skinned man with a huge sword in his hand, entering<\/span>
\nher hut. He grabbed her and pushed her down on the floor and<\/span>
\ngouged out her eyes. Then he sliced off her arms, cut open her chest<\/span>
\nand took out her heart and carried it away with him. Blood spilled<\/span>
\nall over the floor. The dream appeared so real that she screamed out<\/span>
\nin pain and woke herself up. She went to Vessantara and told him<\/span>
\nabout her dream and asked him to interpret it for her.<\/span>
\nVessantara\u2019s intuition told him that this was an omen forewarning<\/span>
\nhis wife that their two children were about to be taken away by some<\/span>
\nunscrupulous person. He sensed that someone was about to come to<\/span>
\nhim and ask for his two children to be given away as alms. For him,<\/span>
\nthis was good news, because it would allow him to complete another<\/span>
\nvital step toward Buddhahood – by giving away things that are<\/span>
\nmost difficult to give. However, he knew that it would be too<\/span>
\nupsetting for Maddi if he were to tell her the true interpretation of<\/span>
\nher dream. So he calmed her and told her not be concerned about<\/span>
\nit, blaming it on some kind of indigestion that she must have had.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Give Me Your Children<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When Jujaka arrived at the lotus pond near Vessantara\u2019s hermitage<\/span>
\nhe thought to himself, \u201cIf I go in now and ask for the children it<\/span>
\nwould not work because Maddi would never agree to it. I better<\/span>
\nwait until the morning and go to see him after Maddi is gone.\u201d<\/span>
\nSo he went up on a nearby knoll to spend the night there and he<\/span>
\nfantasized about his young wife. The next morning, he waited until<\/span>
\nMaddi had left for the forest then came down from the knoll and<\/span>
\nwent up the footpath towards the hermitage.<\/span>
\nAnticipating the arrival of the Brahmin, the Bodhisatta came out of<\/span>
\nhis hut and seated himself upon a slab of stone looking like a golden<\/span>
\nstatue. Jali and Kanhajina were playing close by. As he looked down<\/span>
\nthe road, he saw a deformed Brahmin coming. He asked Jali to go<\/span>
\nand welcome the Brahmin. Jali went up to Jujaka and greeted him<\/span>
\npolitely but the Brahmin showed his meanness to him right away. In<\/span>
\nhis wicked ways he thought, \u201cThis boy will soon become my slave;<\/span>
\nI better intimidate him from the start so that he would become<\/span>
\nsubmissive to me.\u201d<\/span>
\nJali was startled at Jujaka\u2019s rudeness. He wondered, \u201cWhy is this<\/span>
\nBrahmin so rude? He is not like any Brahmins I know.\u201d As he<\/span>
\nobserved Jujaka closely the way a clever boy would, he saw all the<\/span>
\nbad features which made Jujaka so ugly: his feet were crooked and<\/span>
\nturned in; his fingernails rotten and black; h is calves fl oppy; hi s<\/span>
\nupper lip covered his lower lip and he salivated all the time; his teeth<\/span>
\nwere like tusks; his nose was totally flat; he had a pot belly and his<\/span>
\nback was hunched over; one eye was small and the other was big;<\/span>
\nhis skin was wrinkled and coiled; his body was covered with<\/span>
\nfreckles; his eyes were yellow; his body curved in three places:<\/span>
\nthe waist, the back and the neck; he was bow-legged and his body<\/span><\/p>\n

made noise when he walked; throughout his body he was covered<\/span>
\nwith long, coarse hair. Anyone possessing just one of these<\/span>
\nfeatures would already make him homely, but when all of these<\/span>
\nunsightly features were present in one person, it was a painful sight<\/span>
\nto look at.<\/span>
\n\u201cThis man does not possess a single good feature,\u201d thought<\/span>
\nJali, \u201cI fear he is here for no good reason.\u201d Having made his<\/span>
\nobservation, Jali left the old Brahmin and went to his sister and<\/span>
\nthey both went to hide behind the great rock that their father sat<\/span>
\non.<\/span>
\nThe cunning Jujaka came up to the Bodhisatta and tried to<\/span>
\ningratiate himself to him with kind words. The Bodhisatta<\/span>
\nwelcomed Jujaka graciously and offered him some food and<\/span>
\nwater and asked him, \u201cDear Brahmin, what is your name? What<\/span>
\nbrings you to this deep forest?\u201d<\/span>
\nNow Jujaka immediately put Vessantara at ease by flattering him<\/span>
\nwith these words: \u201cI am a Brahmin from Dunnivittha, a village in<\/span>
\nthe kingdom of Kalinga, and my name is Jujaka. I have heard from<\/span>
\nthe people that you are the refuge of all people in need. You are<\/span>
\nlike a lake full of water that is ready to feed all animals that come<\/span>
\nto quench their thirst.\u201d Having adequately praised the Bodhisatta,<\/span>
\nJujaka stated his purpose for being there: \u201cYour Venerable, I have<\/span>
\nrisked my life and come all the way here to ask for your two children<\/span>
\nto be given to me and my wife, Amittata, as servants.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Path of a Great Being<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

to give away his children. But in the case of the Bodhisatta, whose<\/span>
\naspiration was to attain Buddhahood, it was different. By giving<\/span>
\nsomething that was flesh and blood to him, something that was a<\/span>
\npart of him, something that was dearest to him, something that he<\/span>
\nloved even more than his own life such as his own children and his<\/span>
\nwife, it signified the willingness to free oneself from attachment in<\/span>
\nexchange for Enlightenment and Buddhahood. Even though this is<\/span>
\nextremely difficult to do, it is only a small sacrifice compared to the<\/span>
\nexalted achievement of Buddhahood and the sublime ability to lead<\/span>
\nall beings away from the cycle of rebirth and suffering.<\/span>
\nMany will argue that such a giving is a cruel and irresponsible act<\/span>
\nand is unfair to one\u2019s own family. But it must be understood that the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta must be willing to give up everything, including his own<\/span>
\nlife, in order to ultimately attain Buddhahood and the knowledge to<\/span>
\nbreak the endless cycle of misery and suffering for all mankind. The<\/span>
\nattainment of such an arduous goal requires great and unfathomable<\/span>
\nsacrifices, which the Bodhisatta must make.<\/span>
\nThrough countless lifetimes of mental development and the cultivation<\/span>
\nof Perfections, the Bodhisatta had acquired transcendental<\/span>
\nwisdom and foresight that led him to the ingrained knowledge of<\/span>
\nwhat needed to be accomplished in order to achieve Buddhahood<\/span>
\nand break the cycle of rebirth. In order to attain Buddhahood, the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta had to perfect all faculties, as well as the ten virtues consisting<\/span>
\nof Renunciation, Perseverance, Loving-kindness, Resolution,<\/span>
\nWisdom, Morality, Forbearance, Equanimity, Truthfulness, and<\/span>
\nCharity.<\/span>
\nTo perfect the Virtues of Charity, the Bodhisatta must perform<\/span>
\nfive ultimate forms of alms-giving to the benefit of others. These<\/span>
\nconsisted of giving away his worldly possessions, his own body<\/span>
\nparts, his life, his children, and his wife. The reason for giving<\/span>
\naway all forms of ownership is to free oneself from every form of<\/span>
\nattachment that may hinder one\u2019s success in mental development<\/span>
\nleading to Enlightenment.<\/span>
\nA Bodhisatta is a being who has progressively cultivated virtue and<\/span>
\naccumulated merit for a countless number of lifetimes in order to<\/span>
\nperfect his faculties and mental power. It is this mental power that<\/span>
\nbrings about the awareness and realization that life in samsara is<\/span>
\nfull of endless suffering. The only way to break the bonds of samsara<\/span>
\nis to rid oneself of all forms of defilements, namely greed, hatred,<\/span>
\nand ignorance.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta did not love his children any less than his wife did,<\/span>
\nbut he was cognizant of his great responsibility to find the way out<\/span>
\nof the cycle of birth and death so that he could lead his family and<\/span>
\nother living beings out of suffering. Although he knew his action<\/span>
\nmay lead his children to suffer; but their suffering would last for<\/span>
\none lifetime while Enlightenment would bring the end of suffering<\/span>
\nfor all lifetimes.<\/span>
\nThis was his last birth as a Bodhisatta, for in the subsequent birth,<\/span>
\nhe would attain Enlightenment and become a Buddha. It was a long<\/span>
\nand difficult journey that has taken him several eons and countless<\/span>
\nearth ages to arrive to. And in the lifetime as Vessantara, he was able<\/span>
\nto reach the ultimate perfection of Charity through the challenge<\/span>
\npresented by Jujaka.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

For the Sake of Buddhahood<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Bodhisatta said to Jujaka, \u201cDear Brahmin, my children are my<\/span>
\nflesh and blood; they mean more to me than my own heart or my<\/span>
\nown eyes and I will readily give up my life for them. But my love for<\/span>
\nBuddhahood is greater than my love for anything in this world. For<\/span>
\nthe sake of Buddhahood, I am willing to give my beloved children to<\/span>
\nyou.\u201d Then he said, \u201cThey are yours now and you have full authority<\/span>
\nover them. However, Maddi, the children\u2019s mother, is presently<\/span>
\naway in the forest and will not be back until late afternoon. Why<\/span>
\ndon\u2019t you rest here for the night and leave in the morning? This<\/span>
\nway, their mother can bathe them and adorn them with garlands<\/span>
\nand flowers, and say goodbye to them. We will pack some fruits and<\/span>
\nhoney for you and send you off in the morning.\u201d<\/span>
\nJujaka did not like what he heard. He said to the Bodhisatta, \u201cThis<\/span>
\nis not a good idea. Queen Maddi will never let you give her children<\/span>
\nto me and she will spoil your alms-giving. Please bring in the children<\/span>
\nand give them to me now so you can reap the full benefits of<\/span>
\nyour ultimate alms-giving that will lead you to Nibbana.\u201d<\/span>
\nVessantara was concerned for the welfare of his children. He<\/span>
\nperceived that if their grandfather had a chance to see them he<\/span>
\nwould want to redeem them by paying Jujaka off. He said to Jujaka,<\/span>
\n\u201cIf you have no wish to let the children see their mother, I suggest<\/span>
\nthat at least you take them to Jetuttara and present them to their<\/span>
\ngrandfather, King Sanjaya. The king will reward you with so much<\/span>
\nwealth that you would no longer have to beg for a living the rest of<\/span>
\nyour life.\u201d<\/span>
\nJujaka said immediately, \u201cThere is no way I will do that. King Sanjaya<\/span>
\nwill think that I stole the children from you. Instead of giving<\/span><\/p>\n

me a reward, he will give me death.\u201d<\/span>
\nHiding behind the big rock that their father sat on, Jali and<\/span>
\nKanhajina overheard the entire conversation and it frightened them<\/span>
\nhorribly. They slipped away quietly to hide behind the hut, then ran<\/span>
\nfrom behind the hut to hide in the bush, and from the bush they<\/span>
\ncame to the lotus pond and plunged into the water and stood under<\/span>
\nthe thick cluster of lotus leaves, perfectly concealed.<\/span>
\nJujaka noticed that there was no sign of the children anywhere in<\/span>
\nthe hermitage so he went to look for them. He became angry when<\/span>
\nhe could not find them and spewed forth sarcastic words at the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta accusing him of concealing his children. The Bodhisatta<\/span>
\ncalmed him down and went to look for the children. He followed<\/span>
\ntheir tracks and found their footprints on the bank of the lotus pond<\/span>
\nwhich disappeared into the water and knew that they were hiding<\/span>
\nsomewhere in it.<\/span>
\nHe called to Jali with a tender voice: \u201cJali, my beloved son, please<\/span>
\ncome to your father and consecrate his heart. Help me fulfill my<\/span>
\nwill. Be the ship that ferries me across the river of samsara to the<\/span>
\nshore of Nibbana.\u201d<\/span>
\nUpon hearing this, Jali resolved to help his father attain his goal. He<\/span>
\nthought to himself, \u201cI will help my father attain his goal of Enlightenment.<\/span>
\nLet the Brahmin do with me what he will.\u201d Then he moved<\/span>
\nout of his hiding place under the lotus leaves and went forward to<\/span>
\nhis father and bowed low at his right foot. He embraced his ankle<\/span>
\nand wept<\/span><\/p>\n

The Bodhisatta called to Kanhajina with the same gentle tone and<\/span>
\nwords. Kanhajina also resolved to help her father. She came out of<\/span>
\nthe water and bowed low at her father\u2019s left foot. She embraced<\/span>
\nhis other ankle and wept.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta\u2019s heart was in immense pain to see his two children<\/span>
\nweeping so piteously. He lifted them up, wiped off their tears, and<\/span>
\ncomforted them with these words: \u201cJali and Kanhajina, my dearest,<\/span>
\nyou are the love of my life. Please know that I love you more<\/span>
\nthan anything in this world. I have spent a countless number of<\/span>
\nlifetimes cultivating merits and perfecting virtues. It is the practice<\/span>
\nof all great Bodhisattas who aspire to become a Buddha to abandon<\/span>
\nall possessions in order to free themselves of attachments. By giving<\/span>
\naway the two of you as alms, I have done what is most difficult to<\/span>
\ndo, and have fulfilled one important requirement for becoming a<\/span>
\nBuddha. If I fail to free myself of all attachments, I will not be able<\/span>
\nto achieve Enlightenment. In making this sacrifice, the two of you<\/span>
\nnot only help your father fulfill his noble goal, but you also help<\/span>
\ncountless beings to escape from suffering. You will be known as the<\/span>
\ngreat givers. Be brave and be strong, my loved ones. Do not give in<\/span>
\nto hardships.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta\u2019s words were like a celestial potion that healed the<\/span>
\nhearts of his two children. It brought them strength and courage.<\/span>
\nThey knew that their sacrifice would serve as a bridge by which all<\/span>
\nbeings could use to cross over to the shores of deliverance.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta was concerned about the future of his children<\/span>
\nand thought of ways to protect them from falling into the hands<\/span><\/p>\n

of unworthy people should the greedy Brahmin decide to sell them<\/span>
\nas slaves. To protect them from falling into the hands of people of<\/span>
\nlow births he put high monetary values for each one of them. He<\/span>
\nassigned the price of one thousand units of gold for the prince. For<\/span>
\nthe princess, he thought she would need a much better protection<\/span>
\nand therefore assigned her with a higher value, which consisted of<\/span>
\none hundred male slaves, one hundred female slaves, one hundred<\/span>
\nelephants, one hundred cattle, plus a hundred units of gold. This<\/span>
\nwas to ensure that only wealthy monarchs could be able to afford<\/span>
\nthem and their future would be in good hands.<\/span>
\nThen he took them back to the hermitage, called Jujaka over and<\/span>
\npoured water from the gourd onto his hand to signify his giving.<\/span>
\nWith an unburdened heart firmly fixed on Buddhahood, he said<\/span>
\nto Jujaka, \u201cHowever precious my children are to me, it is incomparable<\/span>
\nto Buddhahood which is far more precious. I hereby give my<\/span>
\nbeloved children to you as the ultimate alms.\u201d<\/span>
\nAs soon as he finished saying these words, the earth shook, lightning<\/span>
\nflashed, and rain fell; lions of the Himavanta forest roared in unison,<\/span>
\nand celestial beings in every realm rejoiced. The Bodhisatta saw this<\/span>
\nmiraculous phenomenon and knew it was the reaction from all the<\/span>
\ncelestial beings acknowledging his ultimate act of giving. It made<\/span>
\nBodhisatta\u2019s heart fill with a great sense of satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

How Can Anyone Be So Mean?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On the part of Jujaka, the wicked Brahmin was quick to show the<\/span>
\ntrue nature of his heart, which was far worse than his physical ugliness.<\/span>
\nBecause of his own evil nature, he believed all people were<\/span>
\nas evil and tricky as he was. He feared Vessantara would change<\/span>
\nhis mind and try to get his children back. So he went to look for<\/span>
\nsome jungle creepers and wove them into a rope. With the rope in<\/span>
\nhand, he ruthlessly bounded Jali\u2019s right hand to Kanhajina\u2019s left and<\/span>
\ndragged them quickly away. His cruelty frightened the two wellloved<\/span>
\nchildren. They froze in fear and cried and asked their father<\/span>
\nfor help. The ruthless Brahmin thought, \u201cWhat stubborn kids! If<\/span>
\nI don\u2019t break their will today, they will definitely be unruly and<\/span>
\ndisobedient to Amittata and me so I better put them in their right<\/span>
\nplace starting now.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe raised his cane and beat the children mercilessly right in front<\/span>
\nof Vessantara. The cane struck their bodies and broke their skin<\/span>
\ngiving them bloody wounds. The children cried in pain. As Jujaka<\/span>
\nwas struggling with the children, he tripped and the rope fell away<\/span>
\nfrom his hand. The children ran tearfully toward their father. Jali<\/span>
\nembraced his father\u2019s feet and cried out, \u201cFather, this Brahmin is<\/span>
\nso wicked and cruel. He has no pity in his heart. He must not be a<\/span>
\nhuman but a yakkha in disguise. Please do not give us away until<\/span>
\nMother returns. My sister Kanhajina is so young and innocent and<\/span>
\nhas never seen suffering in her life. She will cry herself to death<\/span>
\nwithout her mother. When Mother does not see Kanhajina, she too<\/span>
\nwill cry so hard that her heart will dry up like a river without water.\u201d<\/span>
\nMeanwhile Jujaka caught up with the two children, beat them and<\/span>
\ndragged them away. Again, he stumbled and fell down and the rope<\/span>
\nslipped from his hand. The children, trembling like wounded fowls,<\/span>
\nran back again to their father. Jujaka caught up with them and<\/span>
\nbrought them back, beating them all the way.<\/span>
\nKanhajina cried out: \u201cFather, this Brahmin thrashes me like slave.<\/span>
\nI thought Brahmins are moral men. This cruel person cannot be<\/span>
\nBrahmin. He must be a yakkha in disguise. He is taking us off to<\/span>
\neat. Can you bear to see us be eaten by a yakkha?\u201d<\/span>
\nAs his little daughter lamented, trembling as she went, the<\/span>
\nBodhisatta was overcome with grief. Not strong enough to endure<\/span>
\nit, he went into the hut, tears streaming from his eyes, and wept<\/span>
\npitifully. He lamented, \u201cO my precious ones, they must be so<\/span>
\nfrightened and scared. Who will hold their hands to help them walk?<\/span>
\nTheir feet must have hurt so badly without their shoes. They must<\/span>
\nbe crying for their mother. Who will feed them and comfort them?\u201d<\/span>
\nHe decried, \u201cHow could the Brahmin feel no shame to strike my<\/span>
\nharmless innocents in front of their father\u2019s eyes. No man with any<\/span>
\nsense of shame would treat another so.\u201d Anger came into his mind<\/span>
\nand he thought of killing the Brahmin and bringing his children<\/span>
\nback. He grabbed his sword and took up his bow and set out to<\/span>
\npursue Jujaka into the forest. Then he regained his composure and<\/span>
\nsaid to himself, \u201cMy children are mistreated and are now suffering<\/span>
\nhardship, but there is nothing I can do because I have already given<\/span>
\nthem away. To regret after having given something as alms is not the<\/span>
\nway of the righteous. Such unbearable suffering happens because of<\/span>
\nthe love and attachment that I have for my children. I must control<\/span>
\nmy emotions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jali and Kanhajina had endured great suffering due to the cruelty of<\/span>
\nJujaka. They wailed pitifully throughout their journey: \u201cOur little<\/span>
\nfeet are all swollen. The pain is terrible and there is still a long way<\/span>
\nto go. The Brahmin beats us without mercy and does not let us rest.<\/span>
\nI wish Mother could be here to help us.\u201d<\/span>
\nTheir lamentations had an effect on all the deities that dwelled<\/span>
\nin the Himavanta Forest. They felt deep compassion for the two<\/span>
\nchildren but worried that when Maddi learned Vessantara had given<\/span>
\nthe children away to Jujaka, she would come after the children and<\/span>
\nthereby interrupt the ultimate charity of the Bodhisatta. They also<\/span>
\nfeared that if Maddi saw her children suffering so badly it would<\/span>
\ncause her such an overwhelming grief that she might die as a result.<\/span>
\nSo they resolved to prevent Maddi from arriving at the hermitage<\/span>
\nthat afternoon by letting three deities take the shapes of a lion, a<\/span>
\ntiger, and a yellow panther and then proceeded to block the only<\/span>
\nroute that led to the hermitage<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Where Are My Children?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

That day, several strange things happened to Maddi. First, the spade<\/span>
\nfell out of her hands as she was working away, then the fruit basket<\/span>
\nfell from her shoulder and all the fruit scattered all over the ground.<\/span>
\nAs she bent down to put them back inside her basket, all the fruit<\/span>
\ntrees around her disappeared and all the trees which had never borne<\/span>
\nfruits before were now laden with fruits. Then she noticed that the<\/span>
\nforest around her which she had known very well had completely<\/span>
\nchanged and had become unfamiliar to her. She anxiously tried<\/span>
\nto find her way back home but ended up quite lost. After a good<\/span>
\nwhile, the forest appeared normal again and she found herself back<\/span>
\nto where she was before. Then her right eye began to twitch.<\/span>
\nShe thought to herself, \u201cWhat is going on here? All these strange<\/span>
\nthings are happening to me today. These must be some kind of signs<\/span>
\nwarning me that something bad is about to happen to me or to my<\/span>
\nchildren or my husband.\u201d<\/span>
\nAs she arrived at the narrow path leading to the hermitage, she<\/span>
\nfound that a lion, a tiger, and a yellow panther were blocking the<\/span>
\nway. There was no other path that she could use to get to the hermitage.<\/span>
\nSo she stayed out of sight of the three wild beasts and waited<\/span>
\nfor them to leave, but they never did. Only as it began to get dark<\/span>
\ndid the three beasts finally go away.<\/span>
\nMaddi hurried her way back to the hermitage. When she finally<\/span>
\ngot there and did not find her children, she asked Vessantara of<\/span>
\ntheir whereabouts. But Vessantara kept his silence. She repeated the<\/span>
\nsame question several times, yet Vessantara did not utter a single<\/span>
\nword. Maddi sensed that something must have gone wrong. So she<\/span>
\nwent back into the forest to look for them until late into the night,<\/span><\/p>\n

but there was still no sign of them anywhere. That night she could<\/span>
\nnot sleep at all as she worried sick about her children. As soon as<\/span>
\nmorning came, she went back to see her husband but the Bodhisatta<\/span>
\ncontinued to remain silent. She was overtaken by grief and collapsed<\/span>
\non the floor.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta was frightened, thinking that she had died. He rose<\/span>
\nup and laid a hand on her heart to feel her heartbeat. For seven<\/span>
\nmonths he had not touched her body, for they both took vows<\/span>
\nof chastity. In this difficult moment, the Bodhisatta had to put<\/span>
\naside his ascetic conduct and tried to save Maddi\u2019s life. With tears<\/span>
\nin his eyes he raised Maddi\u2019s head and laid it upon his lap,<\/span>
\nsprinkling it with water, and rubbing her face and chest to<\/span>
\nrevive her. After a little while Maddi regained her consciousness<\/span>
\nand rising up in confusion, paid respect to the Bodhisatta and<\/span>
\nasked, \u201cMy lord, where have the children gone?\u201d<\/span>
\nThat was the time he apprised her of what he had done and told<\/span>
\nher that the children had been given to a Brahmin as alms. By then<\/span>
\nMaddi had mustered up the courage to endure the trauma. She<\/span>
\nasked him, \u201cMy lord, if you had given the children to a Brahmin,<\/span>
\nwhy did you let me go weeping about all night without saying a<\/span>
\nword?\u201d<\/span>
\n\u201cI did not speak at once because I did not want to cause you pain,\u201d<\/span>
\nthe Bodhisatta replied. Then he said, \u201cO Maddi, do not be overgrieved<\/span>
\nbut set your eyes on me. An impoverished Brahmin came<\/span>
\nto beg for our children and I gave them to him. You know it is the<\/span>
\nquest for Buddhahood that I should give what is asked of me.<\/span>
\nPlease rejoice with me in this great merit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Partners in Merit<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Maddi had been a life partner of the Bodhisatta and had pursued<\/span>
\nPerfections alongside him in several of their past lifetimes. Because<\/span>
\nof the virtues that she had accumulated, she too was aware of the<\/span>
\nsupreme charity that a Bodhisatta had to perform in order to attain<\/span>
\nEnlightenment. The thought of giving away her children to some<\/span>
\nstranger was hard to bear, but understanding that such deed would<\/span>
\nhelp her husband achieve Buddhahood, she was able to overcome<\/span>
\nher deep sorrows and rejoiced with him.<\/span>
\nMaddi said to the Bodhisatta, \u201cI do rejoice in your act of charity.<\/span>
\nGiving away your own children is the hardest thing for any man to<\/span>
\ndo. Amidst a world of selfish men, you have done what no one can.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta told Maddi the miraculous phenomenon that took<\/span>
\nplace after he gave their children away to the Brahmin. Maddi<\/span>
\nresponded, \u201cYes, my husband, I did hear the earth rumble and saw<\/span>
\nthat the lightning flared and heard the thunder echoed through the<\/span>
\nhills. Your supreme charity was acknowledged and rejoiced by all in<\/span>
\nthe celestial realms. I do praise your action.\u201d Thus Maddi, lady of<\/span>
\nroyal birth, princess of high degree, rejoiced with him.<\/span>
\nNow that the Bodhisatta has given his children away, there remained<\/span>
\none last and greatest gift for him to give to complete his task \u2014 his<\/span>
\ndevoted wife.<\/span>
\nSakka was aware that should someone come to ask for his wife<\/span>
\nVessantara would not withhold it. He pondered, \u201cNow suppose a<\/span>
\nvile man should come and ask him for Maddi herself, he would give<\/span>
\nher to him. I should not let this happen. I myself will go to him to\u00a0beg for Maddi. Thus I will enable him to attain the supreme height<\/span>
\nof perfection. I shall make it impossible that she should be given to<\/span>
\nanyone else and then I will give her back.\u201d<\/span>
\nSakka assumed the guise of an old Brahmin and approached the<\/span>
\nhermitage that morning. After an exchange of greetings and salutations,<\/span>
\nthe Bodhisatta asked him the purpose of his visit, \u201cDear<\/span>
\nBrahmin, what brought you this way? What do you seek in this<\/span>
\nmighty forest?\u201d<\/span>
\nSakka, in the guise of an old Brahmin replied, \u201cO Venerable, I am<\/span>
\nfeeble and old. I need someone to take care of me. I heard that your<\/span>
\ngenerosity knows no bounds and would not turn down anyone who<\/span>
\ncomes to you for help. I come here to beg for your wife Maddi.\u201d<\/span>
\nVessantara realized that he must also give away his dear wife to attain<\/span>
\nhis goal. He expressed his willingness to do so. He took Maddi\u2019s<\/span>
\nhand with his left hand and poured water from his gourd onto<\/span>
\nthe Brahmin\u2019s hand with his right hand and pronounced: \u201cI love<\/span>
\nmy wife dearly, but my love for Buddhahood is a thousand fold. I<\/span>
\nhereby give Maddi, my beloved wife, to you. May this act of charity<\/span>
\nhelp me attain Buddhahood in the future.\u201d<\/span>
\nMaddi submitted without showing any signs of disapproval or any<\/span>
\nunhappiness. She knew that this would fulfill her husband\u2019s ultimate<\/span>
\ngoal. At that moment, the earth rumbled, thunder rumbled,<\/span>
\nthe heavens shook, the oceans roared, and celestial beings rejoiced<\/span>
\njust as they had when the Bodhisatta gave away his children.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eight Wishes of the Bodhisatta<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Having seen that the Bodhisatta was capable of supreme charity,<\/span>
\nSakka said to him, \u201cDear Vessantara, miserliness is the enemy that<\/span>
\nprevents one from obtaining celestial and worldly wealth. Though<\/span>
\na householder, you have given up your most beloved children and<\/span>
\nwife in charity. With such detachment, there can be no greater<\/span>
\nexemplification of magnanimity. Your quest for Buddhahood is<\/span>
\nsoon to be fulfilled.\u201d<\/span>
\nNow it was time for Sakka to reveal his identity. He gave Maddi back<\/span>
\nto Vessantara and said, \u201cI am Sakka, king of the heaven. I hereby<\/span>
\ngive you my blessings and offer to fulfill eight wishes of yours. Tell<\/span>
\nme what eight wishes you desire.\u201d As Sakka spoke, he rose into the<\/span>
\nair ablaze like the morning sun.<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta was glad to know that his acts of good deed had<\/span>
\nbeen observed by the beings of heaven. He said to Sakka, \u201cMighty<\/span>
\nSakka, thank you kindly for your blessings and for granting me<\/span>
\neight wishes. The following are my wishes:<\/span>
\n\u201cMay my father welcome me back to his kingdom, to return the<\/span>
\nthrone back to me so I will have plenty of resources to give alms.<\/span>
\nThis is my first wish.<\/span>
\nMay I condemn no man to death and let me have the power to<\/span>
\nrelease the condemned from death. This is my second wish.<\/span>
\nMay I be the refuge for all, young and old, rich or poor; let them<\/span>
\nrely on me for their welfare. This is my third wish.<\/span><\/p>\n

May I not seek the wives of my neighbors, be contented with<\/span>
\nmy own, and not to be subject to a woman\u2019s will. This is my<\/span>
\nfourth wish.<\/span>
\nMay my children have long lives and conquer the world with<\/span>
\nrighteousness. This is my fifth wish.<\/span>
\nAt dawning of the day, may celestial food be revealed for me to give<\/span>
\nin plenty, for alms to never run low. This is my sixth wish.<\/span>
\nMay means of giving never fail and may I always give with a heart<\/span>
\nfull of joy. This is my seventh wish.<\/span>
\nWhen I pass away, may I go straight to heaven and after passing<\/span>
\nfrom heaven to be reborn as human, let it be my last birth and never<\/span>
\nhave to be reborn again. This is my eight wish.\u201d<\/span>
\nSakka recognized that all of Vessantara\u2019s wishes were toward helping<\/span>
\nothers. Through his divine insight he saw that all of his eight wishes<\/span>
\nwere within reach. He said to the Bodhisatta, \u201cYour father will soon<\/span>
\ncome to see you; he will return the throne to you. All of your wishes<\/span>
\nwill be realized. Please be happy, exercise prudence and strive on<\/span>
\nwith awareness.\u201d After having said this, Sakka left and returned to<\/span>
\nhis heavenly abode.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Jujaka Confronted the King<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Back at the forest, Jujaka continued on with his journey, dragging<\/span>
\nthe two children along with him. When the sun went down, he<\/span>
\nwould tie the children to the trunk of a tree, but he would climb<\/span>
\nup the tree to sleep. This way, he thought, should a wild beast come<\/span>
\nalong looking for food it would attack the children and eat them first<\/span>
\nand not bother him. But the hardship of the two children caught<\/span>
\nthe attention of the angels in the area and they watched over them.<\/span>
\nAt night, they would take the forms of Vessantara and Maddi and<\/span>
\ncame to look after them. They would free them from their bonds,<\/span>
\nwash them, give them food, and put them to rest. Then at dawn<\/span>
\nthey would lay them down again back in their bonds and disappear.<\/span>
\nThus with the help of the angels the children remained safe from<\/span>
\nharm.<\/span>
\nAfter a few days of travel Jujaka arrived at a cross road with one<\/span>
\nleading to Kalinga and the other to Sivi. By the doing of the angels,<\/span>
\nJujaka was made to choose the road that led to the land of Sivi.<\/span>
\nAfter several more days of travel he arrived at the city of Jetuttara<\/span>
\nnot knowing that he had come to a different town. The old Brahmin<\/span>
\nunconsciously led the two children to the royal courtyard of<\/span>
\nJetuttara. His rugged appearance and harsh behavior with the two<\/span>
\ndelicate children attracted the attention of the royal guards who<\/span>
\nbrought him before the king. The king saw the two children from<\/span>
\nafar and thought they looked quite familiar to him. He sat there<\/span>
\nadmiring their beautiful appearances and elegant disposition and<\/span>
\nwondered, \u201cThese two children look just like Jali and Kanhajina,<\/span>
\nmy grandchildren.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king asked Jujaka, \u201cBrahmin, tell me how did you get a hold of<\/span>
\nthese two children.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jujaka told the king, \u201cA fortnight ago, King Vessantara gave these<\/span>
\ntwo children to me.\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Sanjaya did not believe what the Brahmin said and insisted<\/span>
\non hearing the truth from him. Jujaka maintained that what he said<\/span>
\nwas true and that Vessantara, whose heart was as vast as an ocean,<\/span>
\ngave his two children to him as alms.<\/span>
\nHearing this, the courtiers reproached Vessantara saying, \u201cThis<\/span>
\nwas a wrong thing for King Vessantara to do, giving away his own<\/span>
\nchildren. He could have given money, slaves, elephants, horses,<\/span>
\ncarriages, or anything else to the Brahmin, but instead he gave away<\/span>
\nhis own children. This is irresponsible indeed.\u201d<\/span>
\nOn hearing the courtiers blaming his father without knowing the<\/span>
\ntruth behind his action Jali retorted, \u201cHow can my father give any<\/span>
\nof the things you described? He was alone with his family in the<\/span>
\nforest without any possessions. He had none of these things: money,<\/span>
\nslaves, elephants, horses, mules, or carriages. It is the tradition of<\/span>
\nBodhisattas to give away their children as alms in order to attain<\/span>
\nBuddhahood. My father gave me and my sister away so that he could<\/span>
\none day become a Buddha and free himself and all beings from<\/span>
\nsuffering. He did this for the benefit of mankind. He did not do this<\/span>
\nbecause he was ignorant or superstitious. After he had done this,<\/span>
\nmiracles happened; the earth shook and thunders roared in witness<\/span>
\nof his great act of charity. My sister and I willingly supported his act<\/span>
\nof generosity and we rejoice in his merit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The king said, \u201cMy dear children, I do praise your father\u2019s act of<\/span>
\ngenerosity. But tell me, how did his heart feel when he gave the two<\/span>
\nof you away?\u201d<\/span>
\nJali replied, \u201cHis heart was in pain and tears came down from his<\/span>
\neyes. When he heard Kanhajina cry and bewailed how cruel the<\/span>
\nBrahmin had treated her, tying her, dragging and beating her with<\/span>
\nhis cane, he grieved painfully.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king was furious at Jujaka and gazed at him with burning eyes.<\/span>
\nIt sent chills down the Brahmin\u2019s spine. He stood there trembling<\/span>
\nand worried for his life. Jali and Kanhajina were standing at a distance<\/span>
\nfrom King Sanjaya and did not come to the king. Seeing this,<\/span>
\nthe king asked them, \u201cMy grandchildren, why are you standing over<\/span>
\nthere instead of coming to sit on my lap like you often did before<\/span>
\nyou went away?\u201d<\/span>
\nJali replied, \u201cWe are no longer free. We have become the Brahmin\u2019s<\/span>
\nslaves and no longer your grandchildren. It is not our place to be<\/span>
\nclose to you.\u201d<\/span>
\nJali\u2019s words cut through the king\u2019s heart like a burning knife bathed<\/span>
\nwith acid. The king bemoaned, \u201cMy grandchildren, do not speak<\/span>
\nthis way. It torments my heart and depresses my soul. I am so sad to<\/span>
\nsee you in this way. I will redeem you from the Brahmin. Tell me,<\/span>
\nmy boy, when your father gave both of you away did he place any<\/span>
\nvalues on you?\u201d<\/span>
\nJali replied, \u201cYes, Father did put a price on each of us. A thousand<\/span>
\nunits of gold was my price. My sister\u2019s price was one hundred male<\/span>
\nslaves, one hundred female slaves, one hundred elephants, one<\/span>
\nhundred cattle, plus a hundred units of gold.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king said, \u201cI will pay these prices to set you free.\u201d Then he<\/span>
\nsummoned his courtiers to put together the money and the rest<\/span>
\nof the payments to pay off Jujaka. In addition, he gave Jujaka a<\/span>
\nseven-storied mansion to live in. The Brahmin\u2019s fortune had changed<\/span>
\novernight. He became a wealthy man surrounded by slaves and<\/span>
\nattendants with abundant food and drinks.<\/span>
\nThe courtiers took the two children to wash, dress, and feed them.<\/span>
\nKing Sanjaya had Jali sit on his lap and Kanhajina on Queen Phusati\u2019s.<\/span>
\nThe king then said, \u201cJali, tell me about your parents. Are they<\/span>
\nwell? Did they have plenty to eat? Are they in good health?\u201d<\/span>
\nJali replied, \u201cGrandpa, everyday Mother goes out to the forest to<\/span>
\nfind wild fruits and roots and lets Father meditate. At night we<\/span>
\nwould come together and eat. Mother has to endure heat and<\/span>
\nharsh weather in the beast-infested forest. Her hair is ruffled and<\/span>
\nher body is soiled. She is clothed in animal skin and sleeps upon<\/span>
\nthe ground. Mother works so hard she has become thin and frail.\u201d<\/span>
\nHaving described his mother\u2019s hardships, he reproached his grandfather:<\/span>
\n\u201cIt is the custom in the world that each man loves his son.<\/span>
\nBut you did not show this love to your son.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The king acknowledged his fault and said, \u201cIt was indeed a grave<\/span>
\nfault of mine. By following the voice of the people, I drove my son<\/span>
\nto banishment. I have caused so much suffering to all of you who<\/span>
\nare innocent. To compensate for my faults, all the wealth which I<\/span>
\npossess and all my power, I wish to relinquish to your father. Let<\/span>
\nhim return to rule Sivi.\u201d<\/span>
\nJali said, \u201cMy father will not return to Sivi on account of my<\/span>
\nwords only. It is better for you to go in person and restore him to<\/span>
\nthe throne.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe king said, \u201cYes, you are right. This is the right thing for me<\/span>
\nto do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Return of the Elephant<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Back in the kingdom of Kalinga, eight months had passed since<\/span>
\nPaccaya, the auspicious elephant, had been brought to the kingdom.<\/span>
\nThe drought had ended, the land became fertile once again, and<\/span>
\npeople everywhere rejoiced with their renewed prosperity and happiness.<\/span>
\nKalinga-raja was grateful for what Vessantara had done for<\/span>
\nhis kingdom. One day he gathered his ministers together and said<\/span>
\nto them, \u201cMy dear ministers, our kingdom is prosperous again now<\/span>
\nthat the drought has been broken and all the crops are growing<\/span>
\nabundantly. Our people are happy and prosperous thanks to King<\/span>
\nVessantara of Sivi. I think it is now time to consider returning the<\/span>
\nauspicious elephant back to its original owner. What do you think?\u201d<\/span>
\nThe reactions from the ministers were not unanimous.<\/span>
\nOne minister said, \u201cThe elephant had been given to us officially<\/span>
\nby King Vessantara. It rightfully belongs to us. There is no need to<\/span>
\nreturn it, Sire.\u201d<\/span>
\nAnother minister said, \u201cSire, the reason our kingdom has become<\/span>
\nprosperous again is solely due to the reason that Paccaya, the auspicious<\/span>
\nelephant, had been brought to our kingdom. If the elephant<\/span>
\nis no longer present in Kalinga, I am afraid the drought will return<\/span>
\nand our people will suffer again. I do not think it is a good idea to<\/span>
\nlet go of the elephant, Sire.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe third minister spoke up, \u201cI heard that after King Vessantara<\/span>
\ngave his auspicious elephant to us, the people of Sivi were angry at<\/span>
\nhim and demanded that he be banished from his kingdom.<\/span>
\nThey forced his father, King Sanjaya, to have him abdicated and<\/span>
\ndrove him out of the kingdom more than seven months ago. He<\/span>
\ntook his wife and two children to Mount Vamka and they became<\/span>
\nhermits there. I heard that they have suffered a great deal.\u201d<\/span>
\nOn hearing this, King Kalinga-raja became quite sad. He said to his<\/span>
\nministers, \u201cThis is unfortunate, indeed. King Vessantara got himself<\/span>
\nin trouble because of his benevolent act toward us. We have brought<\/span>
\nhardship to him and his family. As righteous people, it is our duty<\/span>
\nto help him. We must return the auspicious elephant back to the<\/span>
\npeople of Sivi and restore King Vessantara to his kingdom.\u201d<\/span>
\nHaving made clear his position to the ministers, the king announced<\/span>
\nhis decision to his subjects and asked for their support. He told<\/span>
\nthem the situation of Vessantara and explained to them why it was<\/span>
\nthe right thing to do to return the elephant back to Sivi. The people<\/span>
\nof Kalinga supported their king\u2019s position and praised him for his<\/span>
\nvirtuous deed. So the king ordered his chief minister to put together<\/span>
\na delegation to bring the elephant back to Sivi, accompanied by<\/span>
\nnumerous gifts and a message of appreciation from their king. The<\/span>
\ndelegation comprised of the original eight Brahmins who went to<\/span>
\nSivi to ask for the elephant along with a great entourage and attendants.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Return of Vessantara<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Back at the royal palace of Sivi, after King Sanjaya had freed his<\/span>
\ngrandchildren from Jujaka, he resolved to return the rule of his<\/span>
\nkingdom to Vessantara. At that moment, his chief minister came<\/span>
\ninto the court and announced that a huge procession of envoys from<\/span>
\nKalinga had brought the auspicious elephant back again to Sivi; they<\/span>
\nhad just arrived at the northern city gate and asked for the king\u2019s<\/span>
\naudience. King Sanjaya was overjoyed to hear this. He ordered his<\/span>
\nguards to open the city gate and invite the procession from Kalinga<\/span>
\nto the royal courtyard. He told the chief minister to announce the<\/span>
\nnews to all the courtiers, the army and all the inhabitants of Sivi to<\/span>
\ncome to the royal courtyard to welcome them. The people of Sivi<\/span>
\nwere filled with excitement as they followed the procession to the<\/span>
\nroyal courtyard.<\/span>
\nAfter having paid homage to King Sanjaya, Rama, head of the<\/span>
\ndelegation, brought the royal message and read it out loud:<\/span>
\n\u201cYour Majesty the sovereign ruler of Sivi Kingdom:<\/span>
\nWe are envoys and representatives of King Kalinga-raja of Kalinga.<\/span>
\nWe are here to bring Paccaya, the auspicious elephant, back to Your<\/span>
\nMajesty\u2019s kingdom.<\/span>
\nMany months ago, the kingdom of Kalinga was plagued by a prolonged<\/span>
\ndrought which killed all of its crops and prevented anything<\/span>
\nfrom growing. There had been a famine in our land and our people<\/span>
\nwere suffering immeasurably. We learned of King Vessantara\u2019s<\/span>
\nboundless generosity and compassion, and came to him for help by<\/span>
\nasking him to give us Paccaya, the rain-producing elephant. Because<\/span>
\nof the kindness and generosity of King Vessantara in giving us the<\/span>
\nauspicious elephant, the prolonged drought ended and our kingdom<\/span>
\nhas returned to prosperity.<\/span>
\nWe owe our continued existence to the virtue of King Vessantara.<\/span>
\nWe wish to express our gratitude for the kindness and generosity of<\/span>
\nKing Vessantara by returning the auspicious elephant along with<\/span>
\nthe five hundred care-taking families that he had bestowed us. In<\/span>
\naddition, we have brought with us magnificent gifts from our king<\/span>
\nas a token of gratitude to Your Majesty.<\/span>
\nFinally King Kalinga-raja wishes to convey to Your Majesty that,<\/span>
\nin the future, should Your Majesty and King Vessantara wish the<\/span>
\npeople of Kalinga to aid you in any way, all you have to do is send<\/span>
\nour king the message and we will stand ready to fulfill our debt to<\/span>
\nyou.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe people of Sivi cheered heartily after Rama finished.<\/span>
\nKing Sanjaya was overjoyed. He expressed his appreciation to the<\/span>
\ndelegates, \u201cPlease convey to King Kalinga-raja my deep appreciation<\/span>
\nfor his friendship. As for Paccaya, King Vessantara has already given<\/span>
\nthis auspicious elephant to you. It rightfully belongs to you. But if<\/span>
\nyou wish to return him to us, on behalf of the people of Sivi, I will<\/span>
\ngraciously accept it.\u201d Then he added, \u201cPlease remain with us a while<\/span>
\nlonger for I have an important announcement to make to my people<\/span>
\nand I wish for you to bear witness to what I am about to say.\u201d<\/span>
\nHe turned to face all the masses and declared:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHear this from your king, citizens of Sivi. The virtue of Vessantara,<\/span>
\nmy son, is beyond doubts. As you have seen for yourselves, his good<\/span>
\ndeed has not gone unnoticed and is now bearing fruit. Unfortunately,<\/span>
\nit was due to a misunderstanding and our lack of insight<\/span>
\nthat we have wrongfully punished him and banished him from the<\/span>
\nkingdom. I hereby proclaim that seven days from today, I will lead<\/span>
\na grand and elaborate procession worthy of his greatness to<\/span>
\ninvite my son, Vessantara, back to the kingdom of Sivi and let<\/span>
\nhim resume the throne.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe people of Sivi cheered for the second time.<\/span>
\nThen King Sanjaya gave order to his chief general, \u201cGreat General,<\/span>
\ngo and get ready our mighty troops and warriors fully armed and<\/span>
\nadorned. Prepare fourteen thousand elephants, fourteen thousand<\/span>
\nhorses, fourteen thousand chariots, with all their riders and charioteers,<\/span>
\nfully decorated and armed, along with their banners. Prepare<\/span>
\nsuitable roads and pathways from Jetuttara to Mount Vamka for<\/span>
\nour travel. Have all the villages and hamlets accommodate us with<\/span>
\nfood and drinks along the way. Arrange for musicians, singers and<\/span>
\ndancers to give us a festive mood.\u201d<\/span>
\nSeven days later, everything that the king had ordered was<\/span>
\ncompleted and assembled. A great ceremony was held and the King<\/span>
\nset out on the journey with Jali as his guide.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Death of Jujaka<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After having been paid handsomely by the king, Jujaka\u2019s lifestyle<\/span>
\nchanged abruptly overnight. But unfortunately, in his everimpoverished<\/span>
\ncondition, the Brahmin had never been exposed to<\/span>
\nsuch a sumptuous lifestyle and did not know how to handle it. He<\/span>
\noverindulged himself with so much food and drink that his body<\/span>
\ncould not digest it. In spite of his body\u2019s warning, the greedy Brahmin<\/span>
\ncontinued to eat unceasingly. As a result, he overate and choked<\/span>
\nhimself to death.<\/span>
\nThe king arranged for his funeral and announced his death in<\/span>
\npublic, asking his relatives to come and claim his wealth. However,<\/span>
\nnone of his family including his wife and in-laws showed up to claim<\/span>
\nhis possessions. So the king had all the treasures and possessions of<\/span>
\nJujaka returned back to the treasury.<\/span>
\nThus ended the story of the greedy Brahmin<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Return of the King<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After many days of travel, King Sanjaya and his great troops and<\/span>
\nentourage arrived at the banks of Lake Mucalinda and they<\/span>
\nencamped there. The noisy sound of the great army, the elephants<\/span>
\nand horses filled the forest. Vessantara heard the noise and feared<\/span>
\nthat an enemy army had come to do him harm. He took Maddi<\/span>
\nwith him and climbed up a hill to survey the army. Maddi took<\/span>
\na close look at the army and recognized the flags of Sivi and she<\/span>
\ntold her husband that it was the army of King Sanjaya, his father.<\/span>
\nVessantara was relieved and came down from the hill with his wife<\/span>
\nto return to the hermitage.<\/span>
\nKing Sanjaya left the encampment with his elephant and went forward<\/span>
\nto seek his son. He arrived at the hermitage and saw Vessantara<\/span>
\nand Maddi. The king dismounted his elephant and went to greet<\/span>
\nthem with a heart overwhelmed with joy. Vessantara and Maddi<\/span>
\npaid him respect. He embraced them and stroked them with gentle<\/span>
\nkindness. Then weeping and feeling sorrow, the king spoke to them,<\/span>
\n\u201cHow are you my son and my daughter-in-law? I hope both of you<\/span>
\nare well, with plenty of food to eat.\u201d<\/span>
\nVessantara said to his father, \u201cMy Lord, we are well, but life in<\/span>
\nthe forest is not easy. We had to live as best as we could and ate<\/span>
\nwhatever we could find. But it is the absence of parents that is most<\/span>
\ndifficult to bear. Jali and Kanhajina, your heirs, have been taken by a<\/span>
\ncruel, merciless Brahmin who drove them like cattle. Have you any<\/span>
\nnews of them?\u201d<\/span>
\nKing Sanjaya said, \u201cBoth Jali and Kanhajina are safe now. I have<\/span>
\nbought them from the Brahmin.\u201d<\/span>
\nThe Bodhisatta was consoled to hear this. He asked about his<\/span>
\nmother. As they were talking, Queen Phusati arrived with her<\/span>
\nentourage. Vessantara and Maddi went to greet her and paid respect.<\/span>
\nThen they saw Jali and Kanhajina approaching from afar. Trembling<\/span>
\nwith great excitement, Maddi ran to hug them. The six royal<\/span>
\npersonages were thus reunited. Their joy was so intense that they all<\/span>
\nfainted and lay senseless on the ground.<\/span>
\nAt that moment the hills resounded, the earth quaked, the great<\/span>
\nocean rumbled, and celestial beings rejoiced. Sakka saw the six<\/span>
\nfamily members laying senseless on the ground and he produced a<\/span>
\ncelestial rain to refresh them. Those who wished to be wet were wet<\/span>
\nand those who did not were dry. The six were restored to their senses<\/span>
\nand all the people who witnessed it cried out at the wondrous rain.<\/span>
\nThen, in unison, the people called out to Vessantara, \u201cO mighty<\/span>
\nVessantara, it is time to wash off the dust and dirt and come back to<\/span>
\nthe land of Sivi and be our king!\u201d<\/span>
\nVessantara, having given all, was willing to resume his kingly role.<\/span>
\nHe put away his hermit\u2019s robes, circled the hut three times saying,<\/span>
\n\u201cHere in this place, I have attained great merit,\u201d and prostrated<\/span>
\nhimself before it. Then he was bathed, had his hair trimmed, and<\/span>
\nwas dressed in princely garments, and he shone with great splendor.<\/span>
\nMaddi was similarly arrayed in beautiful cloths and gems.<\/span>
\nThe couple looked magnificent.<\/span>
\nThus they proceeded to the camp of King Sanjaya. After a month of<\/span>
\njoyful festivities in the forest, they returned to Sivi with great pomp.<\/span><\/p>\n

The citizens of Sivi were delighted at the return of their prince.<\/span>
\nThey decorated the city in his honor and gave him their warmest<\/span>
\nwelcome. Vessantara resumed the throne. He set free all the captive<\/span>
\ncreatures. By the power of his virtue, he was endowed with boundless<\/span>
\ntreasures as if it poured down from the sky. Throughout his<\/span>
\nreign, he always had plenty to give and never ran out of alms. After<\/span>
\nreigning gloriously for many years, the king passed away to heaven.<\/span>
\nHe remains a symbol of generosity for all time.<\/span>
\nUpon his next rebirth, he was born as Prince Siddhattha Gautama,<\/span>
\nthe son of King Suddhodana and Queen Maya in the kingdom of<\/span>
\nSakyans, a tribe of the Aryan race that lived in the North of India.<\/span>
\nAt age thirty five, Prince Siddhattha attained Enlightenment and<\/span>
\nbecame the Buddha.<\/span>
\nThe quest for Perfections of the Bodhisatta has thus been fulfilled.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”The Historical Buddha” el_id=”1491827257584-ff0ccf1a-780f”]Siddhattha Gotama<\/strong><\/p>\n

The historical Buddha was born in 623 B.C. His name was Siddhattha
\n(which means \u201cWish Fulfilled\u201d) and Gotama was his family
\nname. He was born in the Lumbini Gardens30 at Kapilavatthu31, on
\nthe Indian border of present day Nepal. His father was King Suddhodana,
\nruler of the Sakya32 clan, in the state of Kosala,33 a warrior
\ntribe of the Aryan34 race. His mother was Queen Maya, a princess
\nfrom the neighboring state of Devadaha35 in ancient Nepal. A week
\nafter Siddhattha was born, Queen Maya died and her younger
\nsister, Pajapati, who was also married to the King, became his
\nstepmother.
\nAt Siddhattha\u2019s birth, it was predicted that the Prince would either
\nbecome a Universal Monarch or a Buddha. King Suddhodana
\nwanted his son to become a great ruler rather than a spiritual leader.
\nReasoning that it would be the experiences of the hardship of life
\nthat would turn the young Siddhattha\u2019s mind towards the spiritual
\npath, King Suddhodana created an environment of pleasure and
\nluxury for his son and sheltered him from all knowledge of worldly
\nsuffering and unpleasantness of life.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

First Meditative Attainment<\/strong><\/p>\n

A remarkable incident took place in Siddhattha\u2019s childhood, which
\nlater served as a key to his Enlightenment. When he was seven
\nyears old, his father took him to an annual Plowing Festival. While
\nwatching the proceedings, the young prince noticed a worm that
\nhad been unearthed being devoured by a bird. This chance observation
\nled young Siddhattha to contemplate upon the realities of
\nlife \u2013- to recognize the inescapable fact that all living beings kill one
\nanother to survive and that this is a great source of suffering.
\nDuring the Festival, the Prince sat cross-legged under a nearby
\nrose-apple tree and began to meditate. It was then and there that
\nhe attained the meditative absorption known as the First Jhana,36
\na highly developed state of consciousness in which the mind is
\nperfectly concentrated and becomes capable of higher levels of
\ninsight. This was an early experience of meditation in the life of the
\nBuddha, which would lead to his eventual Enlightenment many
\nyears later.
\nAt age sixteen Siddhattha married Yashodhara, a beautiful
\nprincess of the same age, who was from the Koliya37 clan, a
\nneighboring state of Kosala. His father had three palaces built for
\nhim to keep him comfortable year round — one for winter, one for
\nsummer and one for the rainy season. For many years, he continued
\nto live a pampered life surrounded by every form of worldly
\npleasure. But deep inside him, Siddhattha had felt something was
\nmissing, something more fulfilling than worldly pleasure.
\nSiddhattha\u2019s curiosity about the conditions in the outside world began
\nto grow and slowly ate away at him. King Suddhodana could
\nno longer hold back his son. He arranged for him to be driven
\ndown to the local village by a charioteer, but he first ordered that all
\npeople with any kind of disability and suffering be kept out of sight
\nso as not to upset the prince\u2019s compassionate nature.
\nUpon Siddhattha\u2019s first three visits to the village, he saw something
\nthat he had never seen before: a decrepit old man, a sick
\nman, then a corpse surrounded by grieving relatives. At the sight
\nof each, he asked his charioteer the meaning of what he saw and
\nwhether it happened to everyone. Channa, the charioteer, told him
\nthat what he saw was indeed a natural phenomenon that happened
\nto everyone who was born into this world and no one could
\nescape from it.
\nFor the first time, Siddhattha was initiated into the reality of suffering
\nin three of its most significant forms: old age, sickness and
\ndeath. He, himself, was not immune to these conditions. Although
\nhe had spent his entire life surrounded with luxury, this recognition
\nled the Prince to develop a sense of detachment from the transient
\npleasures of this world and prompted him to seek the ultimate
\ntruth about existence.
\nThen, on the fourth drive to the village, Siddhattha encountered
\na homeless ascetic who had renounced his worldly possessions.
\nThe air of serenity and nobility of his bearing suggested that he
\nhad found a degree of peace and freedom from the influences
\nof the mundane world. Although homeless and without possessions,
\nthe ascetic appeared blissful, content, and fulfilled.
\nIt was a moment of awakening for Siddhattha. The first three
\nencounters showed him the universal suffering of humanity. The
\nfourth revealed to him the means to overcome the ills of life and
\nto attain calm and peace. He felt a deep pity for humanity who
\nhad to endure suffering as an intrinsic quality of life. A sense of
\ncompassion awoke within him and he felt the call to find an answer
\nto the problem of human suffering and to seek a path to liberation.
\nAfter much contemplation, he resolved to renounce the world and
\nto seek the Truth and Eternal Peace for the benefit of all mankind.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Renunciation<\/strong><\/p>\n

When his one and only son was born, it became clear to him that
\nit was time to leave the palace to pursue his Path of Liberation. He
\nwas not overjoyed at news of the birth of his son like other fathers
\nbut knew that this love for his son would become an impediment
\nto his quest for universal liberation. The infant son was accordingly
\nnamed Rahula, meaning \u201cBound by a Fetter.\u201d
\nAt the age of twenty-nine, the Prince renounced his worldly life and
\nleft the palace to become a homeless mendicant. His compassion
\nfor his wife and son was great at this moment of parting; but
\ngreater still was his compassion for the suffering of humanity. He
\nwas not worried about the future welfare of the mother and child
\nas they had every luxury in abundance at the palace and were well
\nprotected.
\nLeaving everything and all behind, he left the palace at midnight
\nand rode into the dark with Channa, his loyal charioteer. He journeyed
\nfar and wide, and upon arrival at the river Anoma38, he cut
\noff his hair and assumed the simple yellow garb of an ascetic. He
\nhanded over his royal garments and ornaments to Channa and
\ninstructed him to return to the palace.
\nThe ascetic Siddhattha, who once lived in the lap of luxury, now
\nbecame a penniless wanderer, living on alms-food. He had no permanent
\nabode. A shady tree or a lonely cave sheltered him by day
\nor night. Bare-footed and bare-headed, he walked in the scorching
\nsun and in the piercing cold. With no possessions to call his own
\nbut an alms-bowl and robe to cover the body, he concentrated all
\nhis energies on the quest for Truth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Spiritual Quest.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Siddhattha spent the next six years on an intensive spiritual quest
\ninside jungle retreats. He studied with the best yogic teachers of
\nthe time and learned everything they had to teach him but soon
\nrealized that their knowledge would not lead him to find the highest
\nTruth. So he left them and decided to attempt to try his own way.
\nIn the ancient days in India, great importance was attached to
\nrites, ceremonies, penances and sacrifices. It was a popular belief
\nat that time that no deliverance could be gained unless one leads
\na life of strict asceticism. Accordingly, for six long years, the ascetic
\nGotama made a superhuman effort to practice all forms of
\nthe severest asceticism. He experimented with various extreme
\nascetic practices of self-mortification: clenching his teeth until his
\ngums bled, pressing his tongue against the palate until his body
\nperspired, holding his breath until air came out of his ears, eating
\nalmost no food, frying in the midday heat and freezing beneath
\nthe moon at night. He starved and punished his body with the
\nhope that all his desires could be rooted out and wisdom could be
\ngained. His graceful form wasted away almost beyond recognition.
\nHis golden skin turned pale and blue, his blood dried up, his sinews
\nand muscles withered, his eyes became sunken and blurred. To all
\nappearances, he was a living skeleton and on the verge of death.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Middle Way<\/strong><\/p>\n

Realizing that these prolonged painful self-mortifications proved
\nutterly futile and only exhausted his valuable energy, the ascetic
\nGotama decided to abandon that practice. By then, he had already
\nexperienced first hand both ends of the extreme: self-mortification,
\nwhich tends to weaken one\u2019s intellect, and self-indulgence, which
\ntends to retard one\u2019s moral progress. He became conscious that
\nthe Middle Way \u2013 avoiding either end of the extreme \u2013 was the
\nright path to reaching wisdom and the Truth. So he turned to the
\nexperimentation of pure meditation practice.
\nHe recalled the memory of the incident at the Plowing Festival
\nwhen he was seven years old, how he sat in the cool shade of
\nthe rose-apple tree and meditated. He remembered how he had
\nattained the First Jhana, a developed state of consciousness that
\nled to a supreme bliss, and felt certain that meditation was the
\npath to the Awakening. He knew that Enlightenment could not be
\ngained through an utterly exhausted body; physical fitness was
\nessential for spiritual progress. So he decided to nourish the body
\nand began to eat some food. His five disciples felt disappointed at
\nhis change of direction, believing that he had abandoned and had
\nreturned to a life of comfort, so they left him.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Enlightenment<\/strong><\/p>\n

After having regained his strength, the ascetic Gotama sat down
\nunder a Bodhi39 tree and was determined to sit immovable upon
\nthat spot until he found an answer to his question or die in the
\nattempt.
\nHe easily reached the First Jhana which he had already experienced
\nin his youth. Then, through sheer determination and the
\nperfections he had already attained in his many past lifetimes, he
\nreached the Second, Third and Fourth Jhana as well, his consciousness
\ncontracting to a perfect single point leading to clarity of
\nsight. His mind was now like a polished mirror where everything is
\nreflected in its true perspective.
\nThus with thoughts tranquillized, purified, cleansed, free from lust
\nand impurity, alert, steady, and unshakable, he was able to have
\nclear insight into the basic mechanisms that created and sustained
\nsamsara,40 the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. He achieved the
\nability to recall his past existences. He relived his own innumerable
\npast births in the different ages of the world, how he went through
\nthe many cycles of rebirths and finally came into the present existence.
\nThen, turning his attention to others, he saw how they too
\ncirculated through samsara, and that the way in which they passed
\non was determined by the moral quality of their actions (kamma41).
\nHe saw that suffering is a part of all unenlightened beings and that
\nsuffering is caused by defilements, which consisted of attachment,
\naversion and ignorance. He then considered how the defilements
\nthat cause suffering could be eradicated and that it was indeed
\npossible to do so. This reality is known as the Four Noble Truths42,
\nand the path to end suffering is known as the Noble Eightfold
\nPath43.
\nHe surveyed the process how birth inevitably leads to aging, sickness
\nand death, which is a prelude to yet another birth -\u2013 and one
\nthat will merely turn the wheel of life through another repetitious
\nrevolution unless the process is stopped. He saw that the
\nultimate and eternal happiness (Nibbana) can be attained
\nthrough the building of perfect virtues (Paramis).
\nHe saw that a person is caught up in the notion of separate, individual
\nbeing or person \u2013 self \u2013 with a name, history, social role,
\nmemories, relationships, and so on. Beneath this veneer of identity,
\nthe reality was very different. A person\u2019s true self was in fact vast,
\nopen, unconditioned and beyond the dualities of pain and pleasure,
\nspace and time, life and death.
\nWhen, toward dawn, Siddhattha looked up, he saw the morning
\nstar rise with new eyes – not the eyes of Siddhattha Gotama but
\nthose of the Buddha\u2019s, the \u201cOne Who is Awake,\u201dor the \u201cOne Who
\nKnows.\u201d He was Enlightened!
\nSiddhattha became a Buddha at the age of 35.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The Great Teacher<\/strong><\/p>\n

For the next forty five years until his death, the Buddha travelled
\nbetween the towns, villages and cities of the middle Ganges plain,
\ngiving wise and compassionate teachings. Though many of his
\nfollowers were lay people, there were also those who wished to
\ngive up the worldly and family life in order to devote their time and
\nenergy entirely to the Dhamma.44 Thus emerged the Sangha, the
\ncommunity of Buddhist monks. At first the Sangha lived lives of
\nextreme simplicity as homeless mendicants, dressing in rags, living
\nonly on alms-food and seeking shelter in caves and beneath the
\nroots of trees. Later, wealthy lay benefactors which included kings,
\naristocrats and rich merchants provided permanent residences
\nduring the Monsoon season. This was the beginning of Vihara,
\nBuddhist monasteries.
\nThe Buddha died at the age of eighty in the year 543 B.C. in
\nKushinagara,45 not far from his birthplace at Lumbini. Surrounded
\nby his disciples, both monastics and laity, his last words to them
\nsummarized the heart of his teachings:
\n\u201cImpermanent are all created things. Strive on with awareness.\u201d[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”Glossary” el_id=”1491827282609-e98363f0-fd7d”]Anoma<\/strong> a river in southern Nepal, near Kapilavatthu. Chinese pilgrims<\/span>
\nhave also recorded the position and the importance of the<\/span>
\nAnoma<\/strong> River in Nepal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arahat<\/strong> (Sanskrit, Arahant) a person who has eliminated all the<\/span>
\nunwholesome roots who upon death will not be reborn, since the<\/span>
\nbonds that bind a person to the samsara have been finally dissolved;<\/span>
\none who is fully enlightened and attained Nibbana, including<\/span>
\nthe Buddha himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aryan<\/strong> a nomadic people from Eastern Europe, perhaps the<\/span>
\nsteppes of modern Poland & Ukraine, who invaded the subcontinent<\/span>
\nof India around 1500 B.C. The Aryans worshiped a number<\/span>
\nof gods. Their religion was Brahmanism, an early form of Hinduism.<\/span>
\nWhen the Aryans arrived in India, they very soon became the<\/span>
\ndominant civilization.<\/span><\/p>\n

Asuras<\/strong> demonic titans, former devas that have been cast away<\/span>
\ndue to wrongdoings while in heaven. The world of the asuras is<\/span>
\nthe space at the foot of Mount Sumeru, much of which is a deep<\/span>
\nocean. It is not the asuras\u2019 original home, but the place they found<\/span>
\nthemselves after they were hurled from Tavatimsa where they had<\/span>
\nformerly lived. The Asuras are always fighting to regain their lost<\/span>
\nkingdom on the top of Mount Sumeru, but are unable to break the<\/span>
\nguard of the Four Great Kings. The Asuras are divided into many<\/span>
\ngroups and have no single ruler.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bodhi<\/strong> Tree also known as Bo tree, was a large and very old<\/span>
\nsacred fig tree (ficus religiosa) located in Bodh Gaya in the Indian<\/span>
\nstate of Bihar, under which the Gotama Buddha achieved<\/span>
\nEnlightenment. The Bodhi tree is recognizable by its heartshaped<\/span>
\nleaves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brahma<\/strong> the most superior form of celestial being with the longest<\/span>
\nlifespan than any other deities. There are two types of Brahmas,<\/span>
\nthose with form and those that are with non-form. Brahma heavens<\/span>
\nare the highest levels of heaven in Buddhist cosmology.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brahmanism<\/strong> religion of the Vedic period (1500 BC to 500 BC), a<\/span>
\nhistorical predecessor of modern Hinduism. The religious practices<\/span>
\ncentered on a clergy administering rites and sacrifices. The mode<\/span>
\nof worship was worship of the elements like fire and rivers, worship<\/span>
\nof numerous gods, chanting of hymns and performance of<\/span>
\nsacrifices.<\/span><\/p>\n

Brahmins<\/strong> individuals belonging to the priestly caste who practiced<\/span>
\nBrahmanism, a predecessor of modern Hinduism. The religious<\/span>
\npractices centered on a clergy administering rites and sacrifices.<\/span>
\nThe mode of worship was worship of the elements (e.g., fire and<\/span>
\nrivers), numerous gods, chanting of hymns and performance of<\/span>
\nsacrifices. In some cases, certain persons were born into other<\/span>
\ncastes but dedicated themselves to such an austere life that they<\/span>
\nwere also recognized as Brahmins in ancient India.<\/span><\/p>\n

Buddha<\/strong> \u201cOne Who is Awake,\u201done who is fully enlightened and<\/span>
\nwho has realized Nibbana without the benefit of a Buddha\u2019s teaching<\/span>
\nin the lifetime in which he attains it. Those who attained Enlightenment<\/span>
\nby following the Buddha\u2019s teachings are called Arahants or<\/span>
\nArahats. The name Buddha is a title, not a proper name. Buddhas<\/span>
\nappear at vast intervals of time. There are countless numbers of<\/span>
\npast, present and future Buddhas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Catumaharajika<\/strong> a celestial realm, also known as The World of the<\/span>
\nFour Great Kings, located on the lower slopes of Mount Sumeru,<\/span>
\nthough some of its inhabitants live in the air around the mountain.<\/span>
\nIts inhabitants include devas (angels), gandhabas (celestial musicians),<\/span>
\nnagas (serpent-like beings), yakkhas (ogres, earth sprites),<\/span>
\nand other celestial creatures.<\/span><\/p>\n

Celestial beings<\/strong> former human beings, who have accumulated<\/span>
\nabundant merit through acts of good deeds. After death they are<\/span>
\nreborn into heavenly realms to enjoy the fruits of their merit. The<\/span>
\nlength of their existence in heaven and the magnitude of their<\/span>
\ncelestial wealth depend upon the degree of their merit. They are<\/span>
\nforever young and do not experience any illnesses although they<\/span>
\nare still subject to rebirth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dasajati Jataka<\/strong> Dasajati is a Pali word which means \u201cTen Births\u201d<\/span>
\nor \u201cTen Lives\u201d. Jatakas are stories that tell about the previous lives<\/span>
\nof the Buddha. There are more than five hundred stories of the<\/span>
\nBuddha\u2019s previous lifetimes, of which the final ten are regarded<\/span>
\nas the most important. These are called Dasajati Jataka, which<\/span>
\nmeans Ten Birth Stories of the Buddha.<\/span><\/p>\n

Defilements<\/strong> (kilesa) mental impurities consisting of greed, anger,<\/span>
\nand delusion; hindrances or poisons that cause beings to perform<\/span>
\nundesirable deeds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Devadaha<\/strong> a township of the Sakyans in what is now the<\/span>
\nRupandehi District of Nepal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Devadatta<\/strong> a cousin and disciple of the Buddha who created a<\/span>
\nschism in the monastic order. Due to jealousy and thirst for power,<\/span>
\nhe attempted to murder the Buddha. Devadatta became a symbol<\/span>
\nof a bad monk.<\/span><\/p>\n

Devas<\/strong> celestial beings<\/span><\/p>\n

Dhamma<\/strong> (Skt., Dharma) the Truth; the natural condition of things<\/span>
\nor beings; the law of their existence; the ethical code of righteousness;<\/span>
\nthe whole body of religious doctrines as a system; the Teachings<\/span>
\nof the Buddha; the eternal truth that the Buddha realized, his<\/span>
\nverbal expression of that truth, and the phenomena or elements<\/span>
\nthat comprise reality.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dhammakaya<\/strong> a Pali word which means \u201cBody of Enlightenment\u201d<\/span>
\nor \u201cBody of Truth\u201d. The term appears in many places in the Buddhist<\/span>
\nscriptures of Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana (Tibetan)<\/span>
\nschools.<\/span><\/p>\n

Dhammakaya Tradition<\/strong> (vijja Dhammakaya), also referred to as<\/span>
\nDhammakaya Knowledge, is a method of meditation founded by<\/span>
\nthe Great Master Phramongkolthepmuni, former Abbot of Wat<\/span>
\nPaknam, one of the most famous Buddhist temples in Thailand.<\/span>
\nAccording to Dhammakaya Tradition, it has been established<\/span>
\nthat each individual person possesses eighteen transcendental<\/span>
\ninner bodies, which can be reached through advanced stages of<\/span>
\nmeditative absorption. Once a person reaches the Dhammakaya,<\/span>
\nthe purest of all transcendental bodies, the person achieves<\/span>
\na higher form of insight and knowledge not available through<\/span>
\nordinary means.<\/span><\/p>\n

Fools<\/strong> (pala) spiritually defective people. A fool is someone wicked,<\/span>
\nweak, or feeble in moral sense. His discretion is faulty, not<\/span>
\nknowing right from wrong, good from bad. A fool is one who<\/span>
\ngives bad influence. You can\u2019t tell a fool by his looks. He could<\/span>
\nbe well educated and be from a good family. You can tell him by<\/span>
\nhis action or behavior. The opposite of a fool is a wise.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Four Great Kings<\/strong> celestial beings who are the protectors<\/span>
\nof the world and fighters of evil. They live in the Catumaharajika<\/span>
\nheaven on the lower slopes of Mount Sumeru, which is the lowest<\/span>
\nof the six worlds of the devas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Four Noble Truths<\/strong> (Noble Truths of Suffering) The Buddha\u2019s first<\/span>
\nand most important teaching. It explains the reality and nature of<\/span>
\nsuffering, the origin of suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation<\/span>
\nof suffering, and the path to freedom from suffering.<\/span><\/p>\n

Garudas<\/strong> a type of celestial being that is half-bird, half-human, with<\/span>
\nthe face and lower body of a bird and the upper body of a human.<\/span>
\nThey live in the celestial forest of Himavanta and feed on nagas.<\/span>
\nThey possess supernatural powers and can change their physical<\/span>
\nforms at will.<\/span><\/p>\n

Great Brahma<\/strong> (Mahabrahma) title of a higher celestial being in<\/span>
\nBuddhist cosmology; inhabitant of the higher heavens. A Brahma<\/span>
\nstate is achieved through a high level meditative attainment and<\/span>
\nthe practice of the Four Divine States of Mind consisting of lovingkindness,<\/span>
\ncompassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity<\/span><\/p>\n

Heaven<\/strong> celestial realm; in Buddhism there are six levels of heaven<\/span>
\nwhich offer a temporary respite from rebirth in the human realm;<\/span>
\nhowever, only Nibbana offers a permanent state of bliss. Unlike<\/span>
\nheaven, the human realm is the only place where merit can be<\/span>
\nacquired and Perfections achieved.<\/span><\/p>\n

Himavanta<\/strong> a celestial forest which surrounds the base of Mount<\/span>
\nSumeru. It is the home of an assortment of supernatural creatures,<\/span>
\nsuch as the nagas, the kinnaris and the garudas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jatakas<\/strong> stories that tell about the previous lives of the Buddha<\/span>
\nbefore he was born for the last time as the Enlightened One. In<\/span>
\nThevarada Buddhism, the Jatakas are a textual division of the Pali<\/span>
\nCanon, included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka. The<\/span><\/p>\n

Jatakas<\/strong> were originally amongst the earliest Buddhist literature<\/span>
\ndating their average contents to around the 4th century BCE.<\/span>
\nJambudvipa one of the four continents (worlds) that surround the<\/span>
\ncelestial mountain Sumeru. It is the region where the humans live,<\/span>
\nand is the only place where a being may become enlightened and<\/span>
\nattain Buddhahood. Jambudvipa is shaped like a triangle with a<\/span>
\nblunted point facing south. It is in Jambudvipa that one may receive<\/span>
\nthe gift of Dhamma and come to understand the Four Noble<\/span>
\nTruths, the Noble Eightfold Path and ultimately realize the liberation<\/span>
\nfrom the cycle of life and death.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jhana<\/strong> meditative absorption, a state of consciousness achieved<\/span>
\nthrough attainment of full concentration or oneness of mind (Samadhi).<\/span>
\nAttaining Jhana is the beginning pathway to achieving<\/span>
\nAwakening and eventual Enlightenment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kamma<\/strong> (Skt, Karma) action or deed of body, speech and mind.<\/span>
\nEvery willed action brings future consequences, including future<\/span>
\nrebirths; the consequences of past deeds largely determine one\u2019s<\/span>
\ngeneral life situation. Under the Law of Kamma, by which all creatures<\/span>
\nmust live, a person bears the consequences of his or her<\/span>
\nown actions. Bad actions cause bad consequences and good<\/span>
\nactions bear good consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kapilavatthu<\/strong> capital city of the ancient Sakyans, located in<\/span>
\npresent day Nepal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kinaris<\/strong> (female) and Kinaras (male) a type of celestial being that<\/span>
\nappear half-bird, half-human, with a face and upper body of a human<\/span>
\nand a the lower body of a bird. They are gentle creatures that<\/span>
\nlive in the celestial forest of Himavanta.<\/span><\/p>\n

Koliya<\/strong> one of the clans in ancient Nepal. The Sakya and the Koliya<\/span>
\nclans were both of warrior caste (khattiya) of the \u201cSolar Dynasty\u201d.<\/span>
\nThere was no other royal khattiya family equal to them in the region<\/span>
\nand, therefore, members of the royal families of these two<\/span>
\nkingdoms married only among themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kosala<\/strong> an ancient state situated on the northern border of Ancient<\/span>
\nIndia.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kushinagara<\/strong> a celebrated center of the Malla kingdom of ancient<\/span>
\nIndia. Later, it would be known as Kushinagara, one of the most<\/span>
\nimportant four holy sites for Buddhists.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luang Por<\/strong> Thai word for Venerable Father.<\/span><\/p>\n

Luang Pu<\/strong> Thai word for Venerable Grandfather.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lumbini Gardens<\/strong> in the Buddha\u2019s time, Lumbini was situated<\/span>
\nbetween Kapilavatthu, the capital city of the Sakya clan, and<\/span>
\nDevadaha, an ancient city in Nepal.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mahout<\/strong> an elephant rider; he is usually assigned to an elephant<\/span>
\nearly in its life and they would be attached to each other throughout<\/span>
\nthe elephant\u2019s life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mara<\/strong> evil, both as a concept and as a personification. In Buddhist<\/span>
\ncosmology, Mara is a supra-natural being responsible for hindering<\/span>
\npeople from performing meritorious deeds. Mara can also mean<\/span>
\nobstacles for doing good deeds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Merit<\/strong> result of good deeds, a positive energy that gives rise to<\/span>
\ngood kamma. Merit is something that can be accumulated as well<\/span>
\nas used up. When someone is enjoying his good fortune, he is<\/span>
\nusing his old merit. A wise person should not let his merit run out<\/span>
\nby acquiring more new merit whenever he can.<\/span><\/p>\n

Merit Sphere<\/strong> each person possesses a sphere of merit within; the<\/span>
\nmore merit accumulated the larger the merit sphere.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mount Sumeru<\/strong> a celestial mountain considered to be the center<\/span>
\nof all the physical, metaphysical and spiritual universes. Sumeru<\/span>
\nand its surrounding oceans and mountains are the home of<\/span>
\nmany extraordinary beings. On top of Mount Sumeru is Tavatimsa<\/span>
\nHeaven. On the lower slopes is Catumaharajika Heaven. At the<\/span>
\nfoot of Mount Sumeru is the realm of the asuras (demonic titans).<\/span>
\nThe mountain range that encircles Mount Sumeru is surrounded<\/span>
\nby a vast ocean. In this ocean there are four continents (or worlds)<\/span>
\ninhabited by humans and human-like beings. One of these continents<\/span>
\nis Jambudvipa, which is the dwelling of ordinary human<\/span>
\nbeings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mundane Merit<\/strong> merit gained through performance of good deeds<\/span>
\nsuch as sweeping the temple, helping the poor, making charitable<\/span>
\ncontributions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nagas<\/strong> magical serpents that live in the lower celestial realm known<\/span>
\nas Catumaharajika. They possess great supernatural powers and<\/span>
\ncan change their physical forms at will. Although nagas are known<\/span>
\nfor their powers and magical abilities, they are no match for garudas,<\/span>
\ntheir arch enemies.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nibbana<\/strong> (Skt, Nirvana) the state of ultimate happiness, the happy<\/span>
\ncondition of Enlightenment, the highest spiritual attainment. This<\/span>
\nis not the sense-based happiness of everyday life; nor is it the<\/span>
\nconcept of heaven as interpreted by Western culture. It is an enduring,<\/span>
\ntranscendental happiness integral to the calmness attained<\/span>
\nthrough Enlightenment. Once a person has attained Nibbana, he<\/span>
\nhas reached the end of the cycle of rebirths-the final and total<\/span>
\nrelease from cyclic existence-never again to be subject to<\/span>
\nrebirth. Nibbana is a supramundane state that cannot be<\/span>
\nexpressed by words and is beyond space and time. This is the<\/span>
\nstate of perfect Enlightenment realized by Buddhas and Arhats.<\/span>
\nThose who have gained this realization no longer accumulate<\/span>
\nkarmic consequences and will no longer be reborn into samsara,<\/span>
\nthe cycle of existence, when they die.<\/span><\/p>\n

Noble Eightfold Path<\/strong> The Path to end suffering, consisting of<\/span>
\nRight View, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort,<\/span>
\nRight Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pacceka Buddha<\/strong> a Buddha who has attained Enlightenment by<\/span>
\nhimself but does not teach others or lead others to Enlightenment;<\/span>
\na private Buddha.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pali<\/strong> an ancient language used in India, now no longer an active<\/span>
\nlanguage; the original Buddhist scriptures were written in Pali; Pali<\/span>
\ntexts are used by the Theravada school of Buddhism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perfections<\/strong> (parami) perfected virtues; transcendental virtues.<\/span>
\nIn Buddhism, Perfections are transcendental virtues cultivated as a<\/span>
\nway of self purification, purifying kamma and helping the aspirant to<\/span>
\nlive an unobstructed life while reaching the goal of Enlightenment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Precepts<\/strong> (sila) moral principles that form the framework<\/span>
\nof Buddhist ethical conduct and the baseline of one\u2019s virtue.<\/span><\/p>\n

Right View<\/strong> View and wisdom in accordance with the Truths, consisting<\/span>
\nof the following beliefs: generosity is virtuous; it is necessary<\/span>
\nto honor those worthy of honor; it is good to be hospitable; actions<\/span>
\nproduce consequences (Law of Kamma); a child has debt of<\/span>
\ngratitude to his parents; this world and the next exist; there will be<\/span>
\nafterlife and rebirths; there are heavenly and hell beings; monastics<\/span>
\nare able to purify themselves of all defilements (to become enlightened).<\/span><\/p>\n

Sakka<\/strong> ruler of Tavatimsa Heaven, sometimes referred to as Indra,<\/span>
\na god who often comes to the Bodhisatta\u2019s aid at the time of need.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sakya<\/strong> an ancient kingdom of Iron Age India, situated at the foothills<\/span>
\nof the Himalayas in South Nepal and extended over much of<\/span>
\nmodern Oudh. Kapilavatthu was its capital.<\/span><\/p>\n

Samma-Arahang<\/strong> (samma-araham) a Pali word which means<\/span>
\n\u201cThe Buddha Who Has Properly Attained Enlightenment.\u201d<\/span>
\nThis mantra is used during meditation to help focus the mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

Samsara<\/strong> the repeating cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. The<\/span>
\nconcept of samsara is closely associated with the belief that one<\/span>
\ncontinues to be born and reborn in various realms in the form of a<\/span>
\nhuman, animal, celestial being, or hell being.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStop\u201d<\/strong> stop in this sense means stopping the mind from wandering<\/span>
\nor stop doing bad deeds. The key to success in meditation is<\/span>
\nto stop the mind from wandering.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sudra<\/strong> servant class in Brahmanism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tavatimsa<\/strong> Realm of the Thirty-three Devas; name of the second<\/span>
\nheavenly abode, of which Sakka is the sovereign. It is a wide flat<\/span>
\nspace on the top of Mount Sumeru, filled with the gardens and<\/span>
\npalaces of the gods (devas). Aside from the Thirty-three Devas,<\/span>
\nmany other devas and supernatural beings dwell here.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ten Virtues of the Sovereign<\/strong> ten royal duties of kings and monarchs,<\/span>
\nconsisting of charity, morality, self-sacrifice, honesty, kindness,<\/span>
\nausterity, non-anger, non-violence, forbearance, and righteousness.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tipitaka<\/strong> (Skt, Tripitaka) Buddhist scripture. Tipitaka means the<\/span>
\nThree Baskets. They consist of the Basket of Discipline (Vinaya<\/span>
\nPitaka) \u2013 rules and regulations of the Order of monks and nuns; the<\/span>
\nBasket of Discourses (Sutta Pitaka) \u2013 discourses concerning social,<\/span>
\nmoral, philosophical and spiritual significance; and the Basket<\/span>
\nof Ultimate Things (Abhidhamma Pitaka) \u2013 dealing with psychological<\/span>
\nand philosophical aspects of the Doctrine, the four ultimate<\/span>
\nthings, i.e., mind (citta), mental properties (cetasika), matter (rupa)<\/span>
\nand Nirvana.<\/span><\/p>\n

Transcendental Merit<\/strong> merit acquired through mental cultivation<\/span>
\nand the practice of meditation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tusita<\/strong> known as the \u201cWorld of the Joyful Devas\u201d, this world is<\/span>
\nbest known for being the world in which a Bodhisattva lives before<\/span>
\nbeing reborn in the world of humans. The beings of this world are<\/span>
\n3,000 feet tall and live for 576,000,000 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Universal Monarch<\/strong> Monarch of the Four Great Continents, of<\/span>
\nwhich Jambudvipa is one.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vedas<\/strong> a large body of Sanskrit texts originating in ancient India.<\/span>
\nComposed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute the oldest Sanskrit<\/span>
\nliterature and the oldest scriptures of Hinduism.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vessa<\/strong> traders, merchants.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wat<\/strong> Thai word for a Buddhist temple.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wat Paknam<\/strong> one of the most famous Buddhist temples in Thailand,<\/span>
\nknown for its meditation teaching and practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wise<\/strong> (pundita) A wise is someone who has wisdom. Being wise is<\/span>
\nnot the same as being educated. A wise can be a person who is<\/span>
\nhighly educated or one with no formal education at all. He is righteous<\/span>
\nand ethical by nature. A wise is someone who possesses the<\/span>
\nRight View and the ability to separate right from wrong, good from<\/span>
\nbad. A wise is the complete opposite of a fool.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wrong View<\/strong> View that is in contrast with the Truths, for example,<\/span>
\nhaving the notion that generosity is not good, parents are not worthy<\/span>
\nof gratitude, the Law of Kamma does not exist, there is no<\/span>
\nafterlife and rebirth, heavens and hells do not exist, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Yakkhas<\/strong> (male) and Yakkhinees (female): are earth sprites with<\/span>
\ngigantic bodies and fearsome appearances. They live in the lower<\/span>
\ncelestial realm of Catumaharajika and are often projected as bad<\/span>
\ncharacters in Buddhist cosmology.<\/span>[\/vc_toggle][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Read | Download [\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”JATAKA TALES” el_id=”1491821675840-b34d4fb5-b078″]The Jataka Tales are narratives about the previous lives of the Buddha before he was born for the last time as the Enlightened One. There are more than five hundred stories of the Buddha\u2019s previous lifetimes, of which the final ten are regarded as the most important. These…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":4548,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-643","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-books","category-english","category-2","category-6","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=643"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4567,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/643\/revisions\/4567"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=643"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=643"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.interhq.org\/book\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=643"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}